


Hoshidan Princess, Nohrian Scum

by Marengo227



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Thieves, Crimes & Criminals, Ensemble Cast, Family Drama, Gen, Like Holy Cow Corrin's Sarcastic, Occasional Strong Violence, Plot Twists, SO MUCH SARCASM, Sarcasm, Some Humor, other characters not mentioned in tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2019-07-27 17:43:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 50
Words: 234,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16224113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marengo227/pseuds/Marengo227
Summary: Princess Corrin, once thought dead, has been found alive and well. The problem? In the time since she vanished, she's become a career criminal, leaving her family struggling to deal with the wayward princess. What none of them know, however, is that her reemergence has set off a chain of events that threaten to unearth secrets that could change Hoshido and Nohr forever. A Fates AU.





	1. Common Thieves

**Author's Note:**

> So, here's a new story from me about an alternate version of Fates where Corrin grew up as a thief and Valla doesn't exist because Valla is a dumb plot device. It's got quite the ensemble cast, so it'll be told through the perspectives of various different characters throughout. I'll be uploading every Sunday and Wednesday!

Ryoma

It had been weeks since Saizo and Kagero had left on a mission in Nohr. It all started when two Nohrian servants were captured trying to cross the Bottomless Canyon. According to them, they had made a failure grave enough to warrant the possibility of an execution, which prompted them to flee to Izumo in the hopes of starting a new life in the neutral territory. Of course, they were spotted when attempting to sneak past the Hoshidan soldiers that had been stationed at the canyon, and when it was revealed that they had been servants for the Nohrian royal family, they were sent to Ryoma himself.

The two girls were all too eager to agree to give whatever information they had in exchange for sanctuary in Hoshido, quite possibly the safest place on the planet for those trying to escape the Nohrian royal family's wrath. The pink-haired one, Felicia, explained that they were both maids and guards, meant to keep a property in the capital city of Windmire owned by the royal family neat and tidy whilst also protecting it and its contents. They were also political prisoners, originally from the Ice Tribe. Ryoma had heard of Nohr's habit of killing two birds with one stone when it came to smaller nations and tribes around them, taking important figures and making them servants, though he had never had the displeasure of meeting any in the flesh. It seemed vile to him that not even hostages were spared from being worked to the bone for Nohr.

When Ryoma had asked why they did not return to the Ice Tribe, the blue-haired girl named Flora, Felicia's sister, provided a rather morbid answer. They knew that their failure would blow back on the Ice Tribe as well. Nohr had likely already sent forces to ransack the tribe, punishing it for their own sins. If it had been found that they were harboring the sisters, the consequences would have been far worse.

The two girls had provided a wealth of information about Nohrian politics and aspects of the Nohrian royal family that were previously unknown, which was already more than enough for Ryoma to give them the sanctuary they so desperately wanted. However, the situations surrounding the mistake they made was what interested Ryoma the most. The girls explained that they had let three thieves endanger the life of the youngest child of King Garon, Elise, as well as escaping with a prized Nohrian artifact worth more than the two of them combined.

The thieves, they explained, were incredibly talented. One wielded a shortbow, barraging the two sisters with ranged attacks. Another wielded a spiked club, using heavy attacks to force the two apart from eachother during the fight. The third was by far the most notable. Wielding a sword with a backhanded grip, she had aggressively fought off the sisters, even pulling a knife from her sash near the end, throwing it with deadly precision and injuring Flora in the process. The make of the knife was unfamiliar to them, and when they described it, Ryoma couldn't pin the origin either.

Saizo was the one who figured out the knife's history. The design was reminiscent of weapons from Kohga, a smaller nation that had once been located to the south of Hoshido. However, a dispute between it and Mokushu, a nation close by, eventually escalated into a full-blown conflict. While Mokushu claimed it had no choice but to fight back, rumors quickly spread that they were the true aggressors. Whatever the reasons, the results were the same, Kohga was left as nothing but charred remains of a once-thriving people, almost all of its population killed, and its cities razed. Those who survived went into hiding. Any who revealed their identity as a survivor of Kohga quickly were found dead due to a variety of accidents.

This was what made the thief's knife so interesting. Saizo especially had taken a fascination to the idea of a survivor of Kohga living in Windmire. It was clear it couldn't have been any of the thieves; Flora and Felicia had said the three looked to be around their ages, meaning they would have been infants at the time. Kagero proposed the idea that they were being mentored by the survivor, taught Kohga's arts of combat that were then infused with the dirty tactics and frenzied fighting of a talented thief.

Ryoma had intended to leave the situation as it was, keeping it open for a possible investigation another time, but Saizo approached him a few days afterward with a request to go to Windmire and investigate the thieves. Ryoma knew better than to ask why; Saizo had many secrets, and he respected his retainer too much to pry. All he asked was that Kagero go with him, to ensure his safety. Saizo agreed to this, and within a few days, the two had departed for Nohr.

Ryoma had heard nothing from either of his retainers since they had left. Understandable considering their mission, but worrying nonetheless. He knew better than anyone how capable his retainers were, but even still, he worried for them. Though Kagero was there to help keep things under control, Saizo still could sometimes lose his temper, with deadly results. It was clear the ninja had a vested interest in finding the survivor of Kohga, though for what reason Ryoma didn't know. He just hoped that Saizo wasn't letting emotions blind him of the right decisions.

Finally, after almost a month with no sign from his retainers, Ryoma received a letter from a Hoshidan scout who informed him that the contents were for him only. He headed to a private place and broke open the seal, opening the letter and reading its contents.

**Three captives with us**

**We'll arrive by the half moon**

**Use separate cells**

The relief that washed over Ryoma was overwhelming. He knew for a fact that this was a letter from Kagero; the retainer always used haikus as a signature of sorts to identify herself as the author. He made sure to inform the prison guards to prepare three separate cells for the captives his retainers were bringing back with him. He had no doubt in his mind that they were the three thieves the Nohrian servants had spoken of. The half moon was only a day away.

Kagero

The three thieves were locked up in the cells on the day of the half-moon, just as Kagero had promised. The man with the eyepatch had tried to gouge one of her own eyes out half a dozen times on the way to Hoshido, and the girl who wielded the spiked club had a habit of breaking out of her bonds every one or two days, just from raw strength. With those two constantly making things a hassle, it was a miracle neither Kagero nor Saizo had ended up with any scars.

The third thief didn’t make any attempts to escape. Understandable, considering what had happened during their first encounter. Kagero had thrown a needle at her allies’ necks, coated with a toxin that would kill her in minutes. When the two of them passed out, their pulses already faint, she quickly surrendered in exchange for Kagero administering the antidote to the toxin. They was still recovering, and the girl’s exposure to the harsh rays of the sun for what must’ve been the longest time in her life was in no way helping. Sure, Nohrians did see the sun on occasion, but it was usually masked by clouds and went away quickly. They had her locked up in the darkest of the three cells, so she could recover faster.

Of course, being the former retainer to Queen Mikoto, Kagero had noticed something especially odd about that girl. If Saizo knew, he did not say. Kagero knew that Ryoma was to be informed of the girl, but she did not wish to cloud his judgment by giving him her guess before he had a good look at her for himself. So, when she and Saizo reported to Ryoma, all Kagero told him was that he needed to take a look at said prisoner. She hoped, for Queen Mikoto's sake, for Ryoma's sake, and for the sake of many others, that her suspicions were correct.

Ryoma

When Saizo had mentioned this girl was in the darkest cell, he had truly meant it. Ryoma had to bring a torch with him just to be able to see more than a few feet in front of him. He took a mental note to ask Yukimura about the possibility of a renovation in this part of the prison. That kind of darkness could drive many a little mad if they stayed for too long. Though, for a Nohrian, perhaps the darkness was more of a comfort than anything.

He finally arrived at the cell, holding the torch up and seeing a figure in the back, laying down on a simple straw bed. He noted her long hair but was unable to see much else due to her being just out of the reach of his torch's light. Either she was asleep, or she was ignoring his presence. He cleared his throat. "So, you're one of the thieves that stole from the Nohrian royal family?"

"Lots of people steal from them. I was just careless enough to get caught." The girl's voice sounded naturally soft, with a hard edge to it that had likely been grafted on after a life on the streets. "What's it to you?" Not even half a minute in and the girl was already on the defensive.

"My retainers tell me you and your associates were highly skilled. They say you fought beyond the caliber of common thieves. Who taught you?"

"Nobody taught us." The girl answered. "We taught ourselves." It was clear she was lying, Ryoma knew that, but he decided not to press her just yet. It would be far better if she handed over the information without any kind of arguments.

"You said 'we'. So those other two are more comrades than business partners?" Honor amongst thieves was no foreign concept to Ryoma, though, in his experience with criminals, that type of honor was hard to find.

"Damn right we are. So if you think I'm gonna sell them out, you're dead wrong." Even in a cell on the other side of the continent, the girl exuded confidence and boldness. "You may be a prince, but I won't be so easily swayed."

"I don't recall ever mentioning I was a prince." That tripped the girl up. She quickly explained it was because she could tell he was a prince by Raijinto, which was sheathed at his side. "Not too many Nohrians, let alone ones who live on the streets, are familiar with Raijinto. Someone must've taught you Hoshidan history. And don't tell me you picked it up from books you stole, because then I'll have to ask who taught you to read."

Ryoma could hear the girl curse under her breath. "Fine, I had a mentor of sorts. You still won't be able to find him. Your ninjas captured us because they thought we knew where he was, and we did. However, there's no way he hasn't noticed we're missing. I guarantee you he's already gone into hiding." Ryoma had to admit, she had a point. It wouldn't do any good if he asked her for spots he tended to visit, as he would know to avoid them.

"What's his name?" Ryoma asked. "In addition, what's yours?" He waited for a few seconds, realizing the girl wasn't going to answer that. He sighed. "Can I at least get a good look at you? It's impossible to see anything in this damned darkness."

The girl chuckled heartily. "I think that's a 'you' problem. I can see just fine." She stretched her legs, standing up. "But, if you insist, who am I to turn down the demands of a prince?" She asked, her tone indicating she was mocking him. She walked to the cell bars, finally illuminated by Ryoma's torch.

The girl was still wearing her clothes from before she was caught; apparently, the rush to get her and her friends locked up ended up skipping the process of getting rid of any armor. Her clothes were remarkably high-quality, likely another stolen item. The craftsmanship was one of a mixture of speed and defense, the armor colored a soft white with a blue sash running over her chest. She was barefoot, a curious part of her outfit, though perhaps it was to help her move around more flexibly. Though the armor itself was quality, she clearly hadn't been the kindest to it, as it was covered in visible scratches and dents from weapons. Much of it was hidden underneath a forest-green cloak that was tied over her collarbones, the fabric flowing down to her thighs.

Ryoma's gaze moved up to the girl's face, and it was then that Kagero's vague request began to make sense. A memory flashed in his mind of himself as a young boy, watching supportively as his little sister doodled on a blank sheet of paper. She showed the drawing to him, and though it wasn't good, even for a child's standards, he congratulated and praised her nonetheless. She looked up at him, her crimson red eyes bright and happy, a wide smile on her pale face, her long cream-colored hair falling down to her shoulder blades.

The girl in front of him looked so similar, except the smile was gone, only a sly, foxlike grin remaining. Her skin was even paler than he had remembered. A faint scar could be seen on the far-right side of her lip. Her eyes, still that mesmerizing crimson, but harsher, more pessimistic. Her hair was just as long, though knotted and undone, rather than straight and combed. But there was no denying that both faces belonged to the same person.

"What's wrong? Never seen a pretty girl before?" She asked, her grin widening as she noticed how unfocused Ryoma looked. "Or am I just that much cuter than all the rest?"

"…What's your name?" Ryoma asked again. His voice was low, though unlike his hands, it wasn't trembling. The girl's grin faded as she realized that something was wrong, and that he most certainly did not want her to avoid answering.

"Corrin. My name's Corrin. What, why's it matter?" She asked, tilting her head. Ryoma felt his heart ignite with what could only be described as a confused joy. It had to be her, there was no other alternative. But as he looked into her eyes, he noticed the way she looked back. She truly did not recognize him.

"You said you grew up on the streets? Nowhere else?" Ryoma asked, much to Corrin's increasing confusion.

"Yeah, of course I did. Except…" Ryoma raised an eyebrow as she paused. "Well, there's kind of a gap in my memory. I can only remember back to when I was, I dunno, six? Maybe seven?" Corrin frowned. "Wait, why am I even telling you this?"

Corrin had almost been seven when she went with King Sumeragi on a diplomatic meeting with King Garon. She had begged to come, having always been fascinated by meeting new people. Neither of them ever came back. Sumeragi was slain, his body never returned to Hoshido, though spies once almost managed to recover it. Corrin was also assumed dead, though there was no proof of a body. Of course, everybody believed she was gone. Nohr would have said something if she had been captured, tried to use her as a bargaining chip.

Against his better judgment, Ryoma slowly moved his hand between the bars of Corrin's cell, reaching out to her. Corrin's response was to grab said arm, pushing it against the bars. "Try and touch me again, and I break your arm. Got it?" That fire, that desperation in her eyes…he had never seen anything like it in her before. She was always so happy as a child.

Corrin slowly let go, allowing Ryoma to pull his arm back. "Corrin, you truly don't remember me?" He asked. Corrin simply shook her head, her gaze still untrusting. "Corrin, it's me. Ryoma. Your big brother."

Hinoka

It had been a long day of fighting. Hinoka originally had set out to the Wind Tribe village to help combat Faceless in the area, with Sakura tagging along so the girl could get some much-needed combat training. However, the number of Faceless far exceeded initial reports from the scouts, leading to hours upon hours of nonstop battling. So imagine Hinoka's surprise when Sakura ran into her tent despite being utterly exhausted from her work that day healing soldiers.

"It's a m-message from Ryoma!" Sakura exclaimed, completely out of breath. Surprised, Hinoka took the letter, opening it up. What was so urgent that Ryoma would need to send a letter all the way to them, even though they were set to be back at the palace in a few days' time? Hinoka read it out loud, seeing it was addressed to the both of them.

"Dearest sisters…" Hinoka began, Sakura giving her undivided attention. "This letter is to inform you of recent events that have transpired in the palace. Whilst my retainers were on a mission, they ended up bringing back three strangers." Hinoka was unaware of Ryoma's intentions of not yet revealing that they were thieves. "One of them—" Hinoka didn't finish, her shock so great as she read ahead that she dropped the letter.

"B-big sister? What is it!?" Sakura asked, growing anxious as Hinoka didn't respond. She bent over, picking the letter up and turning it over to read it herself. Her shock was just as great. "It can't be, t-that's impossible…"

Hinoka felt herself rejuvenated with energy. The sooner this fight was over, the sooner the both of them could get back to the palace, to see if  _she_  really was there. "Sakura, get some rest. Tomorrow, we're finishing this fight. Then, we're gonna go see Corrin."


	2. All the Time

Corrin

"Eventful" was certainly one way to describe the recent string of events that Corrin had partaken in. If someone had told her beforehand that she'd be kidnapped by ninjas, taken to the other side of the continent, then approached by the High Prince of Hoshido and told that she was his younger sister, she'd have punched whoever said that in the mouth. However, here she was, now in a large, decadent guest bedroom, time wasting away as she waited for her captors to figure out what to do with her. She had already tried the door, finding it was locked tight. When she broke a decorative flower pin located on a dresser and used it as a lockpick, she almost immediately was knocked out by one of those damn ninjas after exiting, waking up back in the room, with any objects that could be a potential lockpick now removed.

She had insisted to Ryoma that she was most certainly  _not_  Hoshidan nobility, though much to her dismay he seemed dead set on the idea. He had tried explaining to her over and over again the situations behind her winding up in Nohr, claiming she was attacked while still a child, her father dying in the attack, leaving her alone. That certainly would have lined up with when Uncle Shura found her, however, so could any story that ended with her wandering alone in Nohr at that age. He stopped talking when she said that her father must've been a pretty shitty person to fail so miserably at protecting his own daughter. She had to admit, she took a petty enjoyment out of riling people up like that, and even if Ryoma tried not to show it, she knew she had succeeded. It seemed that he was unaware that in his efforts to stay silent and hide his anger, it only made said anger infinitely more obvious.

Corrin wished that she could be bored. It was highly preferable to the worry that plagued her every minute. Sure, if she was actually believed to be a princess, she'd be safe. But Niles, Rinkah? Their safety wasn't secure. They were just thieves, criminals. They weren't important. Corrin was enraged just thinking about it. What made her own life suddenly worth more than the lives of her friends? Nothing, that's what. Whether she was born in a street gutter or in a big fancy palace, she was worth the same as everyone else. Not to suggest she  _was_  born in a palace. She knew who she was.

Corrin imagined that the ninja that had captured her were likely still around. A fun little idea popped into her head. "Man, I sure am hungry." She said rather loudly. No response. "MAN, I SURE AM HUNGRY! TOO BAD I HAVEN'T BEEN FED SINCE I GOT HERE! WOE IS ME, THE PRINCESS OF HOSHIDO." She shouted. Within minutes, her door was opened and closed in a flash, a couple of peaches left in front of it. She honestly wasn't sure if that was going to work, but she was certainly glad it did. She knew what peaches were; Uncle Shura had educated her heavily on Hoshidan culture, even if she had snoozed through most of it. Though it turned out their taste was far different from what she had imagined. They were so disgustingly sweet, it felt like her teeth were going to fall out. This was a far cry from the tough, salty foods she had eaten growing up.

Corrin forced the unbearably sweet fruits down, knowing that she needed to eat something, even if it was as disgusting as this. When done with the peaches, she gathered the pits, sat down against one wall and threw them at the other, walking over, retrieving them, then walking back until she had figured out the perfect velocity and angle to throw them at to get them to bounce right back to her. The door to her room opened, though she pretended not to care, keeping her sight at the wall across from her as she continued to throw the peach pits and catch them.

She could see the person who had entered out of the corner of her eye, a male build with long, gray hair. He spoke to her, his tone surprisingly sharp given what she was used to hearing from most in a higher class. "So, he really thinks you're Corrin? I don't see it." Corrin chuckled at that.

"Finally, someone here is talking sense." She tossed another peach pit, catching it as it bounced back. "I'm not Corrin, obviously. Well, not the one that big red guy seems to think I am." She knew his name was Ryoma, she just wanted to annoy the new face. And annoy him she did.

"For your information, that 'big red guy' is Ryoma, high prince of Hoshido. And you're speaking to his brother right now, you Nohrian piece of filth." The silver-haired man responded, his frustration clear as day. Corrin was delighted; it wasn't often she got to mess with someone so easily. Though, him calling her Nohrian filth managed to genuinely get on her nerves.

"Say that again," Corrin said, her voice calm as she threw her peach pit at the wall again. The prince opened his mouth to speak, only for Corrin to turn and hurl a peach pit right at his face. He caught it, looking down at it in his hand before tossing it to the side. "Nice catch." Corrin complimented, returning to chucking the pits at a wall instead of someone's face. "Now, can you leave this Nohrian piece of filth alone? I'm trying to work on my throwing arm."

"You may have Ryoma deceived, but I won't fall for your lies. Mark my words, you'll be executed like the criminal you are!" The prince stormed out, slamming the door shut behind him, followed by the lock clicking shut. Damn, she hoped he would accidentally leave it open in his anger. What was he even talking about? She wasn't deceiving anyone, she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Or…maybe it was the right place at the right time? An idea began to form, one that made her grin just thinking about it. If they truly believed her to be a princess of Hoshido…well, who was she to deny them the happiness of seeing their beloved Corrin again? She could use her status to get Rinkah and Niles out of jail cells and right into the royal palace with her. And with the complete trust of all (well, minus one) of the royal family, she could get to work robbing them blind. She could just picture it; Corrin, Rinkah and Niles, returning triumphant from the far-off land of Hoshido, bearing many of the royal family's greatest treasures. They'd sell them for as much as they could, getting enough money in the process to live the rest of their lives in total comfort. The heist of a lifetime. She always did know how to turn things around in her favor.

A while later, the door to Corrin's room was once again opened. Ryoma entered, still wearing his bright-red armor, making him look so large that she nearly missed the woman behind him. She was wearing elegant, mostly white clothing, with long black hair falling down the back of her head gracefully. She stepped out from behind Ryoma, allowing Corrin to get a better look at her, noticing how frail she seemed to be. Ryoma stood by the woman's side, keeping an eye on her as she walked closer to the red-eyed girl. Corrin got up from the ground, growing tense as a weak smile formed on her face.

"My child, it truly is you…" The woman spoke, holding out her arms towards Corrin. She couldn't move, her feet firmly planted in place. Then, the woman embraced her, her arms frail and weak, a hug that could easily be broken out of. Corrin  _wanted_  to break out of the embrace, to push the woman away and scream at her that she wasn't her mother. But if she wanted this plan to work, she had to swallow her pride and her stubbornness and just go with it. She had to make it look natural, however.

"H-hi," Corrin mumbled, her lack of recognition clear in her voice. The woman held the embrace for a few seconds longer, then pulled back, her smile warmer than before. Corrin glanced over to Ryoma, who merely stood there, his face stoic, like a statue. If he was happy about this, he wasn't indicating it.

"So it's true then. You really don't remember anything about us." The woman sighed, her smile fading. "That is…regrettable. Regardless, my sadness for your lack of recognition is nothing compared to my joy at seeing you again." Corrin realized that this woman must be Queen Mikoto, the ruler of Hoshido.

"Listen, lady, I'm really sorry about all of this, but yeah, I can't remember anything about you guys," Corrin explained, though she wasn't too sorry about the fact. "It's a…a lot to take in. I'm still reeling from everything." The queen nodded understandingly.

"I see. I hope to spend more time with you in the future, my child." The queen spoke. Hearing her call Corrin "my child" sent shivers of disgust down the girl's spine, but she kept her loathing hidden. Queen Mikoto turned to Ryoma. "Regrettably, I must take my leave now. Politics will never wait, even for a family reunion." Ryoma nodded silently, watching Mikoto walk past him. To Corrin's surprise, Ryoma stayed where he was.

"You gonna say something?" Corrin asked leaning against a wall, crossing her arms. "Or are you just gonna make a permanent residence as the decorative suit of armor in my room?" Queen Mikoto may have been a bit too sharp for Corrin to effectively lie to her about her memories. But Ryoma was wracked with emotion, that much was clear. She knew the type; forced to hide emotion and act with a clear mind at all times to live up to expectations. She knew it was likely eating away at him, knowing that he couldn't embrace his little sister as freely as his mother had. That was something she could exploit. "If you're just gonna stand there, I—" She cried out in pain, reaching a hand to her forehead, falling to her knees.

Ryoma's response was near-instant, the prince rushing to her side, getting down on one knee. "What is it? What's wrong?" He asked, the immense concern for her well-being present in his voice.  _Gotcha._  She thought to herself. It took more effort not to grin than it did to keep up the rest of the charade.

"I'm fine, I just…" Corrin grunted again, gripping her forehead tighter. "There's something…I can see…" She thought she might've been hamming it up a little too much, but when she looked to Ryoma, he was absolutely buying it. "I'm playing in a field, it's so beautiful…" She knew that Hoshido had its fair share of Diviners; psychics of sorts who genuinely could commune with higher forces and see things they should not have been able to. Of course, in Nohr, any "Diviner" was a total fraud. Uncle Shura had taught that to her from a young age, having her pay one to tell her something about herself only she would know. He instructed her to give false information, and to go along with the psychic's wrong statements instead of correcting them. Sure enough, the psychic claimed that Corrin was actually the daughter of a barmaid from Izumo. Corrin left with an appreciation for the way false psychics gathered information so expertly, though not before stealing back the money she had spent.

"That could only be…" Ryoma's tone of recognition told her that he remembered a field too.

"You're there too…you're so much younger. You're…smiling at me. It's such a bright smile, it's so warm…" Corrin took her hand off her forehead, pretending her pain had gone away. She looked up at Ryoma. "Did I just…remember?" She feigned shock at the idea. Ryoma finally gave in and embraced her, his arms much stronger and tighter around her than Mikoto's had been. Corrin was downright giddy, knowing she was successful. She just had to make sure everyone else in the royal family believed her scam as well, and then she'd already be fully trusted, accepted as their long-lost sister. Then, the heist could begin.

Niles

"I hate this idea so much." Niles bluntly stated to Corrin, his voice down in a whisper. Rinkah nodded in agreement. "Do you understand how easy it'll be to mess this up? How much we'd be putting at risk?"

Corrin fired right back. "And do you understand how much we stand to gain here? We could be set for life if we pull this off! We'd never have to steal so much as a loaf of bread again in our lives. Even if we do mess up, I'll just make up some sob story about my conflicted emotions, and they'll let us off the hook."

"They'll let  _you_  off the hook." Rinkah corrected. "They'll throw  _us_  back in a cell and remove our heads before the end of the week."

Corrin sighed. "C'mon guys, when have I ever led you two astray with something like this?" She asked. Her response came from both of her friends, at the same time.  _"All the time."_  "Right. And how often have I gotten us out of things like this?" She asked, raising her arms.

The two paused, looking at eachother before they looked back at Corrin. "All the time." Niles responded begrudgingly.

"Right. Trust me on this you guys, I can tell this'll end great for all of us! We'll never get another opportunity like this in our lives!"

"Yeah, because we'll be dead." Rinkah finished bluntly, much to Corrin's mild annoyance, a pout forming on her face as she crossed her arms.

"Even if we do this, it's gonna be a long con." Niles added. "We'll have to butter them up for who knows how damn long, getting on all their good sides, just for the  _chance_  to pull this off. I'll be fine, and Rinkah was never much of a talker anyway, so no worries about her slipping up, but you? Corrin, you hate these kinds of people."

"You're right. That's how it's gonna look more genuine. You two can just keep acting like your regular selves, with less stealing involved. Meanwhile, I can do the same, albeit while occasionally pretending like they may actually be right. It'll be easy." There was a silence following her. "What?" She asked, confused.

Niles sighed. "You don't actually think you're some princess, right?" He asked. Corrin remembered when she demanded she see the two of them, boldly stepping up to the guards and demanding they be set free, by order of Princess Corrin of Hoshido. She nearly burst out laughing when she saw the two's reaction to it all.

"No, of course not. All this is, is a bunch of royal pricks projecting their dead sister onto me. It's as simple as that. I'm just capitalizing on their stupidity. They get to have their sister back for a while, and the three of us get to make off with all their expensive stuff."

"Shura wouldn't like this." Rinkah added, her doubts still clear. Corrin sighed. Rinkah was never one to enjoy taking risks; a bad tendency to have when you were in the business of stealing things from people who were usually considerably dangerous. Still, it wasn't like she didn't appreciate how cautious the girl could be. It had saved her life more times than she could count.

"Uncle Shura's not here." Corrin retorted. "Besides, it seems there's more than a few things about himself that he wasn't too honest about." That caught the two's interest, albeit a cautious interest. "The things I heard from the Royals, you wouldn't believe."

Takumi

How could his brother, even his own mother, have been so blind!? Ryoma came to Takumi, claiming that thief was remembering something. He almost laughed then and there. She was playing them, that much was obvious. What annoyed Takumi was that it was only obvious to himself. He could already imagine Hinoka's reaction to the letter Ryoma had sent. The whole reason she became a Pegasus Knight was to make sure she didn't lose any of her siblings ever again, so the idea that Corrin had returned out of the blue was sure to cloud her judgment. And with Sakura being with her, he had no doubt his little sister would be just as blind to that scum's real intentions.

Sure, the thought still gnawed at the back of his mind. What if she really was the Corrin everyone thought she was? Every time he tried to dismiss the idea, it came back stronger than ever. But if anything, that only strengthened his resolve. He knew he was the only one looking at the situation with an open mind, and so he knew that his conclusion was more accurate. All he had to do was wait for Corrin to slip up, to say the wrong thing at the right time, and he'd be able to prove his suspicions right. Even if that meant spending more time with that street rat than he had any patience or desire for, he was willing to do it. For his family.


	3. Princess

Flora

After they had given all the information they knew to the Hoshidans, Flora had assumed she would merely be killed. She only gave the information up because of her spite towards the Nohrian royal family, who had captured her and her sister and used them as servants and hostages. However, what she did not expect was this level of mercy. They were offered two choices; live out the rest of their lives with new identities in one of the nearby tribes, or work for the Hoshidan royal family in a similar vein as the Nohrians, albeit without being hostages. She and Felicia both accepted, though for different reasons.

Flora knew that the closest she'd ever get to the Ice Tribe again was through Hoshido. If she did things right, made friends with the right people, she might be able to get the closure she needed. Felicia certainly wanted that as well, though her own reason was more immediate; Felicia was unable to figure out what she'd do with herself if she wasn't fulfilling the duties of a maid. And what duties the two of them had been assigned.

"P-please my lady, hold still!" Felicia cried out as the red-eyed girl in the room struggled and writhed on the ground, Felicia desperately trying to comb her hair. "Please understand this is out of no ill will from our encounter back in Nohr! We're just doing our jobs!"

"GRAHH!" Corrin growled, trying to push the surprisingly persisted girl off her to no avail. "Damnit, that hurts! Get off me!" Every snarl in her hair was like untangling a bush of brambles, and that pain was felt by both of them as Corrin cried out in pain and Felicia withstood her kicking and punching. Flora just sighed, watching as the situation continued to escalate.

"Felicia," Flora began. "Do remember to angle the brush slightly." Felicia's eyes widened slightly as she realized she had forgotten. While it did end up being more efficient for the maid, it was more painful for Corrin overall. Flora had to admit, after Corrin had thrown that dagger at her back in Nohr, opening a rather nasty cut on her arm, it was rather fun to watch.

As Corrin and Felicia's hair combing/wrestling match neared its end, the door to her room slammed open, Rinkah entering and looking like she was ready to send heads rolling. "CORRIN!? What's wrong?" She froze as the two girls on the ground stopped what they were doing and looked over at her. Rinkah just grumbled something about wasted time as she turned around, slamming the door shut.

"You know, I swear I've seen her before…" Felicia commented, putting a thumb to her chin as she looked away, trying to remember.

Flora sighed, her hands held in front of her. "That's because she was also there that night."

"Ohhhh, that's right!" Felicia chuckled nervously. "She was the one who almost caved my head in with that spiked club. Though, I still feel like I've—" Felicia found herself rudely interrupted as Corrin curled her legs inwards and shot them out, sending Felicia flying off her. Corrin got up on her feet, dusting her hands off. "Okay Flora, your turn…" Felicia mumbled, laying down on her back. "I'm just gonna rest for a minute…" And with that, she was out cold.

Corrin turned to Flora, a glint in her eye. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. If you do, I'll make sure you—" As she spoke, Flora suddenly dashed at her, running up behind her and beginning to brush her hair. Corrin started to turn, then stopped as she realized it was completely painless. Even as the snarls in her hair were undone, it felt like nothing more than a slight tugging. "How the hell…?"

"Finished." Flora pulled the brush down one last time, stepping away. She grabbed a hand mirror and held it in front of Corrin, letting the girl examine her now much less messy hair. It was clear that she was impressed by the results, and Flora made sure not to let her satisfaction at that show. "Now, next on the itinerary is a change of clothes. Your armor will be tended to and your fabric-based clothes will be washed thoroughly." She approached Corrin, who begrudgingly accepted. Flora was rather surprised the girl seemed to have no qualms about the idea. "I'm surprised you're not more bashful about that sort of thing."

"Eh, it's only weird if someone makes it weird. And my armor does need some work. A change of clothes certainly wouldn't be a bad thing either. Just…don't let the pink-haired one do it." Corrin shuddered at the thought. Flora couldn't help but let out a giggle, though only for a brief second. Corrin grinned. "I think that's the first time I've ever seen you smile, you know. You should do it more often, it's a good look." Flora was taken aback by the comment. Her lack of outwards emotion was intentional, but she was unaware that she smiled so rarely, especially compared to her sister.

"I'll keep that in mind, my lady." Flora simply answered, not sure how to feel about that.

"Don't call me that."

"Understood, Princess Corrin." Flora answered. Corrin just groaned.

Hinoka

Ryoma had tried to stop her from heading straight to her sister. He claimed that it was a "delicate situation", that he couldn't explain everything in his letter. If Hinoka was being fully honest, she didn't care one bit. Sakura ran behind her, trying her best to keep with Hinoka's sprint. It didn't take long for the two to arrive at Corrin's room, and without a second thought, Hinoka opened the door.

Inside was Corrin and two girls, one with pink hair and one with blue hair. The pink-haired girl was in the process of tidying up the room, and the blue-haired girl was finishing tying a large bow on the back of an elegant kimono that Corrin was now wearing, colored dark green. Corrin whined rather crassly about the outfit. "Come on, you call this 'proper clothing'? There's no flexibility! If I was in anything more than a brisk walk, I'd trip over it and fall on my face! I don't even think a feral dog would stop to take a shit in—" Corrin stopped as she noticed the two new faces in the room, turning to face them. "Oh, hey there." She greeted, casually waving at the two.

Hinoka was like a blur, suddenly hugging Corrin with enough speed and force to knock her off her feet. "It really is you! After all this time, I never thought I'd ever get to see you again!" Hinoka was normally rather tough, and carried herself as such, but it was like her toughness melted away upon the sight of her sister.

"Hey…" Corrin began, pausing. "…You…?" The confusion in her voice was apparent. Hinoka was glad that at the very least, Ryoma's letter mentioned how Corrin seemed to be having an amnesia problem, otherwise that would've been quite the nasty shock in the moment.

"Right, sorry." Hinoka apologized, pulling back from Corrin, who looked like she just had the life squeezed out of her. "You don't remember me. I'm Hinoka, your big sister." She noticed that Corrin was still giving a weird look. "Is something wrong?"

"What's with her?" Corrin asked, pointing behind Hinoka. She turned around, realizing that Sakura was still standing in the doorway, her face beet-red. She only grew more embarrassed as all eyes were drawn to her.

"O-oh! It's just that, well, m-mother never liked it when we used words like that…" Sakura explained, stammering her way through the whole sentence. Corrin just grew more confused. "T-the one involving the dog…"

"Ohhhh!" Corrin exclaimed, realizing what Sakura was talking about. "Sorry about that. You kinda start forgetting what language is 'morally acceptable' after enough time where I grew up." She paused, then began grinning. Hinoka almost immediately could tell something bad was about to happen. "SHIT PISS ASS DAMN!" Corrin shouted, much to Sakura's shock and displeasure. The poor girl ran out of the room, her face practically glowing red at that point. Corrin, meanwhile, was buckled over from how hard she was laughing. "Oh man, she's too much fun!"

"She's also your sister." Hinoka chided, though Corrin didn't seem too bothered by the revelation. She knew that Sakura had always been more…sheltered than most, but she sometimes forgot just how badly even tiny upsets could startle the girl. Sakura tried her best to overcome these obstacles, but she was still learning. "Who are these two?" She asked, looking over at the two maids.

"We're Princess Corrin's retainers." The blue-haired one responded, with the pink-haired one nodding along with her. "My name is Flora, and this is my sister, Felicia. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Princess Hinoka."

"They are  _not_  my retainers." Corrin snapped back. "Rinkah and Niles are my retainers. These two are just nuisances." The casual insult hit Felicia hard, the girl's face pouting. If it affected Flora, she didn't show it.

"Who are Niles and Rinkah?" Hinoka asked. She had never heard the names before, so she assumed they must've been friends of Corrin's. The red-eyed girl was more than happy to provide an explanation.

"Why, only the second and third greatest thieves to ever live! My greatest companions! Best friends! Practically family, at this point! Not that you aren't." Corrin quickly added that last part, though she sounded significantly less excited when saying it.

"Wait, second and third? Who's—" Hinoka stopped talking as Corrin held up an aquamarine brooch, inciting utter panic from Felicia, looking down at her now brooch-less uniform, realizing Corrin had nabbed it when she wasn't looking. Hinoka was just mortified.

Corrin flashed a downright sinister grin, a glimmer flashing in her eyes as she tossed the brooch in the air, catching it. "I work for commission."

Corrin

Okay, so maybe stealing Felicia's brooch was a bit overkill, but Corrin needed a distraction to ensure nobody paid attention to the other missing item from Felicia; the key to Corrin's room. Hinoka had excused herself rather quickly once Corrin displayed her talents, and Flora and Felicia also exited, Flora locking the door with her own key. Corrin waited for a few minutes, then headed to the door, unlocking it and slipping right out. Thankfully, there were no ninjas around this time, so she was able to make a speedy getaway out of Castle Shirasagi. The guards here were so lax, a far cry from Nohr, where any guard who was getting paid was putting his all into making sure nothing got past him. The only part of the escape that remotely challenged her was the sheep cliffs she had to deal with on the way down to the capital city. She cursed whoever had decided to build the place on a mountain.

The capital city of Hoshido was unlike anything Corrin had ever seen. No, really, she had never seen it. Half the time she spent on her way to Hoshido was with a bag over her head, and a majority of the rest of the time was spent knocked out. She reminded herself to punch one of those two ninjas if she got the chance. The sun shined down, but it wasn't overbearing like it was in the countryside. Here, it just felt right.

Corrin's kimono, tattered from the journey down, attracted a few odd looks, but suspicions never raised beyond that. Stealing from these people was one of the easiest things she had done in years. The lack of poverty was apparent, and a lack of poverty means a lack of theft, so not too many shopkeepers were experienced with catching thieves. Even if she was spotted, she made a speedy getaway before anyone could get a good look at her. By the time she exited out of the capital and to a nearby forest, she was carrying a half-dozen different fruits in her arms, humming as she bit down into a juicy apple.

As Corrin continued to hum, another tune slowly grew louder as she kept walking. Corrin stopped humming and stood still, listening attentively to the song. It was coming from the direction she was walking in. Curious, she followed after the song. As she got closer to the source, she began to make out the lyrics.

" _You are the ocean's gray waves, destined to seek life beyond the shore, just out of reach…"_

Corrin emerged from the forest into a clearing surrounding a tranquil lake, holding a hand over her eyes to block out the sunlight as she tried to search for the source of the singing. Finally, she spotted it, a girl with long blue hair on a lone dock stretching a dozen or two feet into the body of water. Corrin approached, trying to avoid any sticks or leaves on the ground, not wanting to alert the girl of her presence just yet.

_"Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time, the path is yours to climb…"_

Corrin got closer, setting a foot on the dock. She didn't expect the structure to be as old as it was, resulting in a loud creaking noise from the plank she stepped on. The girl quickly turned around to face her, eyes wide in surprise. However, her face quickly softened as she identified the girl in front of her.

"Ah. You must be Corrin" The girl spoke, her voice remaining as soft in tranquil in conversation as it was in song. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Saizo

"You can't just force it out of her, you know." Kagero reminded him, much to his displeasure. Saizo had just discovered the door to Corrin's room unlocked, the girl gone without a trace. He and Kagero had set out to find her, first checking in the capital city, where they heard more than a few angry shopkeepers voicing their outrage at their stolen wares. Now, they were checking as much of the city as they could, seeing if they could find some kind of trail to follow.

"I know I can't." Saizo simply responded, peering down an alleyway, spotting a fresh peach discarded in a puddle. He walked over to inspect it, bending down.

"She doesn't trust either of us, not after we poisoned her in order to get her here." Kagero added.

"I know that."

"The information she has could end up not even mattering in the end. We may never be able to find the survivor of Kohga."

" **I know.** " Saizo repeated once more, his voice bitter as she stood up, walking further down the alleyway with Kagero behind him. "I'm fully aware of the challenges of getting information from her. Why do you insist on pestering me with facts I'm already fully aware of?"

"Because, Saizo, I want to you to achieve your goal." The two of them found another discarded fruit, and soon another after that. "You trusted me with the secret of Kotaro being responsible for your father's death, and by doing so, you trusted me with helping you bring him to justice. So let me help you."

Saizo stopped only for a moment to think before continuing to press onward. "How do you plan on assisting me, then?" He asked, finding the trail stopping at the wall surrounding the capital. She must've climbed over. This section had virtually no guards patrolling it, so the act of scaling it was unlikely to draw attention.

"Being frank, you aren't a conversationalist. You're a fighter, not a talker. I stand a far better chance of worming Corrin's secrets out of her than you do. Let me handle the process of gaining her trust. You need to put more focus into finding Kaze."

Saizo began scaling the wall, finding small grips to grab on to. His mind flashed to Kaze, claiming he'd be back within a month from his mission to gather intel on the youngest princess of Nohr, Elise. He never returned, his last known location being Windmire. Saizo had hoped to gain some knowledge of his brother's location while there collecting Corrin and her comrades, but he had learned nothing. He knew that his brother was fully aware of the risk, but regardless, he had a feeling that Kaze was out of his depth on his current mission. He had to admit, the idea of being able to spend more time trying to figure out Kaze's whereabouts without sacrificing the progress he was making on exposing Kotaro was appealing, and if there was anyone he could trust right now, it was Kagero.

Saizo dropped down the other side of the wall, now faced with a large forest. Kagero dropped down next to him, landing without a sound. "Alright. I'll get to work on searching for Kaze, and you can try and persuade Corrin to tell us what she knows. But first, we need to find her." The two headed off into the forest, slowly beginning to hear a soft tune as they went deeper in.


	4. Very Strange

Azura

"So, I take that greeting to mean that you know me?" Corrin asked, still holding on to her stolen fruit as the blue-haired girl stared at her with her piercing yellow eyes. She shook her head.

"No. I never knew you, only of you." She corrected. "I should probably explain. My name is Azura." As Azura spoke, Corrin grabbed a peach from her arm and tossed it lightly at the girl. Azura was surprised, barely managing to catch the fruit. She looked up at Corrin in confusion.

"Here ya go. Think of it as a gift, from Nohrian to Nohrian." Azura's eyes widened slightly from the surprise of it. How did she know? Corrin chuckled. "Your skin gave it away. You look like someone who'll remain pale forever, no matter how long you're in the sun. I'm the same way."

Azura looked down at the peach in her hand, letting out the softest sigh. "But, you're not Nohrian. Surely you've already learned that by this point."

"I'm gonna let you in on a little secret." Corrin whispered, giving a friendly smirk. "I trust you. And I am a fantastic judge of character." She took a bite out an apple. "I think this whole ordeal is a crock of shit." Azura was rather taken aback by just how blunt the girl was about it. "I mean yeah, sure, they're all convinced, and I think I remembered something involving Ryoma, but if I'm being honest here? I'm not buying it."

"Ryoma told me you're a thief." Azura said, glancing at all the fruits Corrin was carrying with ease. Not only did it mean they were probably stolen, but it showed how experienced she was with carrying stolen goods easily. "He said that your behavior is simply a result of where you grew up. Do you think that's true, Corrin?"

Corrin spoke mid-bite. "Yuhp." She chewed a little longer, swallowing her bite of apple. "You're Nohrian. You know what it's like over there. I'm surprised you needed to ask." Corrin took note of Azura's gaze, only hovering on her for a few seconds before flickering away.

"It's not that simple." Azura was used to the way the Hoshidan nobility talked. Corrin's blunt, to-the-point way of talking certainly was keeping her on her toes. "I never spent much time in Nohr myself. I was taken as a young girl."

"Holy shit, you're kidding." Corrin muttered, legitimately surprised for the first time in their conversation. "Why the hell would these guys kidnap you? I thought they were all about peace and flowers." Corrin's lack of knowledge of more complex social issues was apparent, even if she likely knew far more than the average Nohrian thief.

Azura almost considered lying about the situations behind her kidnapping, but she knew that Corrin deserved to hear the truth. "When King Sumeragi was murdered, and you were assumed dead as well, Hoshido wanted…retribution. A nobleman sent spies to Castle Krakenburg, where they abducted me. It was planned for me to be executed in a public place, to send a message to Nohr. But when Queen Mikoto heard about the plot, she rescued me only days before the execution was to commence. She took me in, treated me like one of her own. The only reason I'm still alive to this day is because she's been protecting me." Corrin was silent. Azura began to panic, thinking she had said too much. "My apologies. I should have refrained from saying this so soon."

"No need to apologize." Corrin quickly spoke, a soft smile on her face. It surprised Azura, having imagined Corrin as much rougher and colder when Takumi had described her. "It's not your fault. Just like it isn't mine. If we went around blaming ourselves for everything involving us that went wrong, we'd never stop finding reasons to hate ourselves even more."

Azura was growing more confused by this girl every second she talked to her. "You…you're very strange, Corrin. Much different from what I expected." Corrin seemed surprised by the comment, but soon found herself giggling.

"Well, I'll assume that was a compliment. If it makes you feel any better, you are by far the least unbearable person I've met here so far." Corrin gave a wink. "Now c'mon, enjoy your peach." Azura had practically forgotten about the fruit, still in her hand. She brought it up to her mouth and took a small bite, savoring the flavor. She couldn't help but smile.

As the two were ready to talk more, a rustling in the forest behind them could be heard. Corrin turned around, seeing two familiar ninjas emerge from the foliage. Corrin cursed under her breath as Saizo and Kagero approached. "Lady Azura, it would be best if we return to the castle." Saizo said to Azura, walking onto the dock and towards her.

"Hey, we're kind of in the middle of a conversation here." Corrin began, walking towards Saizo. "So I'd appreciate it if you—" Saizo walked right past her, much to her frustration. "Hey, listen to me when I'm talking to you!" Corrin exclaimed, grabbing Saizo's sleeve. In a flash, the ninja pushed her away, causing her to stumble backwards, falling off the dock. Just as she was falling backwards, she was caught by the hand by Kagero, who yanked her back up. "Uh…thanks." Corrin mumbled, watching Saizo escort Azura away.

Kagero said something to Corrin, but Azura was already too far away to hear. She turned her head to face Saizo who was walking beside her. As always, he seemed emotionally impenetrable. His face betrayed no feeling, and his voice was always the same. He was one of the few people she was never able to properly connect with, at least to a degree. At least it wasn't due to any feelings towards her, unlike a certain someone.

Takumi

Corrin was becoming more insufferable by the minute. Takumi watched as the girl, now wearing a completely ruined kimono, groaned and sighed as Ryoma reprimanded her for escaping the castle. "It was just a trip down to the city, don't get your panties in a twist." Takumi nearly shouted at her, but he stopped himself, knowing that hostility would get him nowhere if he wanted to get her to reveal she was a fraud.

"A trip down to the city where you scaled down the mountain yourself, ruining your garb and nearly killing yourself numerous times." Ryoma corrected, his arms crossed. "A trip down to the city where you stole from numerous vendors with reckless abandon."

"Asking a career criminal to not break the law is like asking a bird not to sing in the morning. Sure, it's annoying as hell, but what do you expect?"

"You are  _not_  a criminal anymore, you are a princess of Hoshido!" Ryoma spoke, his voice booming. Takumi had rarely seen his elder brother this angry towards any of his family. "I expect you to understand the consequences of that fact and act accordingly!"

"Well maybe if I didn't grow up on the streets, I could have a better grasp of things by now! Too bad daddy dearest couldn't bother protecting me, since he was too busy becoming a pincushion!" The room went silent. Takumi felt his blood absolutely boil with fury. Ryoma was stunned into silence, not sure how to react. Corrin, most surprisingly of all, seemed downright horrified with what she had just said, bringing a hand to her mouth, covering it. "How did I…know that?"

Takumi's gaze went back to Ryoma. Had his brother not told her of how father had died? But if he truly hadn't…how did she know? She wasn't his sister, so how was she aware of something she had no way of knowing about? She must have found out from someone else. It was the only explanation. Takumi felt like he was about to explode, quickly leaving her room before he could say anything he would end up regretting. He heard the door open and shut behind him, turning around and seeing Ryoma exit.

"She's not our sister." Takumi said to Ryoma, his voice low. "She's just a thief, playing us all for fools." He knew he still lacked the evidence to back up any of his claims, but he had to voice his concerns to the one sibling who could possibly think clearly.

"She's  _remembering_ , Takumi." Ryoma's voice was just as quiet, perhaps to hide whatever emotions he was feeling. "She's remembering things that any thief would have no way of learning about."

"You think too little of her capabilities, brother." Takumi couldn't hide the spite towards Corrin in his voice. "That was always how you saw her. You viewed her as nothing more than a defenseless little sister to protect. She was always more capable than you cared to admit, or even recognize. This is no different. The only thing that's changed is that this girl is taking advantage of the fact. That's what tells me she's not our Corrin.  _Our_  Corrin would never stoop so low." Takumi turned and walked down the hall, leaving Ryoma alone.

Corrin

The image wouldn't leave her head. No matter how hard she tried to push it out of her thoughts, it kept replaying over, and over, and over. There was a man in front of her, looming tall. His back was to her, his arms stretched wide, as if he was protecting her from something. Then, arrows struck him, one after another, more than one would ever need to take down any man. Even as he fell to his knees, Corrin realized he was still breathing, somehow clinging to his last shred of life. Someone approached, just as giant and hulking of a figure as him. With an axe in hand, the man in front of her was cut down, his now lifeless body crumpling to the floor. Corrin's body surged with terror, watching the pale man turn to face her.

Everything faded to black, and Corrin remembered that she was still in Hoshido, still in Castle Shirasagi, still in her room. She felt like she wanted to vomit. What had just happened? Out of nowhere, as she was arguing with Ryoma, the vision appeared in her mind. Takumi probably believed she was faking it. She wished she was.

Later in the day, Niles and Rinkah entered Corrin's room, Rinkah holding two trays full of food while Niles only held one. "We managed to get permission to bring you some of the food from the mess hall." Niles explained, setting down the tray on a table for Corrin. "Dinner for today is mostly seafood. Not sure how these people stand the stuff. Rinkah thinks it's decent enough though."

Corrin sat down at the table, ignoring the utensils she was given and eating with her hands instead. She was too hungry and frustrated to care about the correct way of eating. Faster was better. As she was about to bite down into a handful of rice, she noticed something shining from within. Curious, she reached her hand in and grabbed it, pulling it out to reveal it was the key to her room. Niles grinned, holding a finger to his lips. Corrin grinned back, standing up and walking to her dresser, hiding the key under a stack of spare clothes. She returned to the table, sitting back down and continuing to eat.

"Hey Rinkah, can you keep an eye on those maids for me?" Corrin asked. "They're a little too perceptive for their own good, especially the blue-haired one. Plus, I'm sure they'd appreciate any help you give them." The message was clear. Make sure they didn't catch on to their plan. Rinkah nodded, finishing her own meal and leaving the room.

"I dunno, I think the pink-haired one is more worth paying attention to." Niles said with a shrug. "She's way cuter. That kind of clumsiness could melt even the coldest heart. Mine included." Corrin practically gagged on her food, scowling at him.

"I swear, you can be such a creep sometimes, Niles." Corrin chastised, only resulting in a hearty chuckle from the archer.

Felicia

"Oh, no!" Felicia cried out she tripped over a pebble in her way, dropping a crate full of rations to the ground, the contents spilling out all over the floor. As she sat up, staring at the massive mess she had just made, she felt tears begin to well in her eyes. She sniffed, feeling pathetic for herself, until she noticed a familiar face approaching. "Oh, Rinkah, right?" She asked the quiet girl, who simply nodded, getting on her knees and grabbing the rations, beginning to sort them back into the box.

Felicia quickly joined her, the two of them working much faster than if it had just been Felicia alone. "Thank you." Felicia smiled, expressing her gratitude. "I've been even more scatterbrained than usual, I guess. Though, I guess you can relate to that feeling. We've both been through a lot of chance, recently. I mean, you found out that you've been friends with a princess. That's gotta be pretty crazy." Felicia chuckled nervously, though Rinkah gave no indication she was even listening. "I've found out some stuff too. Apparently, I've been a hostage my entire life. Imagine that? I thought I was just a girl from a small tribe who got to work for royalty, but the truth was that I never really had a say in the matter. Flora hid it from me. She only…" Felicia paused, feeling tears well up once again. "She only told me after we had to leave Nohr."

Rinkah picked up another ration and set it in the box. Felicia continued, kind of glad she could just vent to someone. "Now I know that our mistake hurt people. Because we failed our job, Nohr probably sent enforcers to the Ice Tribe to reprimand them. To search for us." The girl sniffed, a tear falling down her cheek. "I-I don't blame you, though! I know you were just doing your job, same as us…" Felicia stopped as Rinkah finally responded to her, letting out an amused chuckle.

"W-what's so funny…?" Felicia asked. Rinkah had stopped her brief chuckle, but she still had a hint of a smile on her face. "Do you think that this is amusing? That what's happening to my people is some kind of joke?"

"I'm only helping you because Corrin wants me to. However, she never ordered me to be nice to you. So yes, to answer your question, I did enjoy hearing that." Felicia's body moved before her mind could stop her, and in a fit of rage, she slapped Rinkah across the face.

"What is wrong with you!?" Felicia asked with a quivering voice. Rinkah didn't give a response. "G-go away. I can pick up the rest without your help." The girl, seemingly unfazed, simply got up, turned around, and walked away without another word. Felicia tried to keep in her tears as she finished filling the container back up. Why someone would be cruel enough to find misery in the pain of others, or why Corrin would consider someone like that to be a close friend, she doubted she would ever know.


	5. Who You Are

Corrin

_She was an idiot to try and steal from those guys, she saw that now. The way they carried themselves, the gear they had, it should've told her they were thieves, just like her. Many people would say that she was just a child, that a girl that young shouldn't have known any better. Uncle Shura would have pushed that aside and called it what it was; an excuse. She felt like she was disappointing him through her mistake, even if he didn't know she made it._

_That's what she was thinking about as she was lifted in the air and shoved against an alley wall with ease by the large man, his hands tight around her neck. The pressure applied to her windpipe was enough to snap her out of her thoughts, reminding her that self-pity could come later. Survival always came first. She kicked and flailed, her little body doing its best to fight back. Even if it was hopeless, even if her chances of actually breaking free from his grip were nothing, she had to try. The only way she'd go down is if she was fighting. She never was one to lie down and die._

_"Little brats like you piss me off." The man grunted, his hands going even tighter around her throat. His breath reeked of alcohol, hitting her face hard. "Thinking you can just run around and take whatever you want. Entitled little shit." Spots were appearing in her vision. Her mind was going dark._

_Suddenly, Corrin was dropped to the ground, coughing and sputtering, nearly throwing up whatever scrap of food was in her stomach. Her neck felt like it was on fire, and her lungs didn't fare much better. She looked up from the ground, using her shaky arms to support herself as she tried to get up. The man who had tried to strangle her was laying face-down, a knife sticking out from his back. Someone behind him yanked it out as some of the other thieves shouted furiously._

_"What the hell do you think you're doing!?"_

_"I told you that kid was gonna be nothing but trouble, and look what happened!"_

_"Shut up and grab the little shits!" Corrin was roughly yanked up to her feet by a hand certainly not belonging to an adult. The hand kept tugging, forcing her to run in order to keep up, nearly tripping over herself more times than she could count. Every turn the person leading her made only caused her nausea to increase, the blurriness of her vision still intense. She had no idea how long they had been running for, every moment feeling like an eternity until they finally stopped._

_Almost as soon as the hand let go of her arm, Corrin collapsed to the ground, her head pounding like a hammer was hitting her skull. "Don't vomit. It may help with the nausea, but you can't afford to lose any food." The stranger said. Corrin knew he was right, so she kept it down in spite of her raging nausea. It took several minutes for her sickness and blurry vision to calm down enough for her to even get her bearings._

_She must have been brought to the underground of Windmire, though certainly not any of the more populated areas. She could hear rushing water nearby, only able to see a faint bit of the surrounding area thanks to the moonlight shining down through a grate above her. The pale moonlight also illuminated her savior, who she recognized as the youngest of the thieves. He must've only been a few years older than her, fourteen or fifteen, maybe. He had white hair, similar to her own, though starker, rather than her softer, cream-white hair. Dirty rags covered one of his eyes, likely hiding an injury of some sort._

_"Why—" Corrin stopped, coughing again. She felt like her lungs were about to fly out of her throat. The boy's expression didn't change as he looked around, checking to make sure the two of them had lost their pursuers._

_"I got tired of hanging with them. I thought I might as well do my good deed for the day while I left." The boy explained, grabbing her arm and hoisting her to her feet once again, uncaring of whether she was ready or not. She managed to continue to keep her stomach from turning inside out as he led her further along. "We need someplace safe to hide out. You know any?"_

_Corrin gave a moment of pause. It was fully likely that the boy was lying to her, convincing her to take him to the hideout she and Uncle Shura shared, to rob them both blind. But something about him spoke to her, told her he was trustworthy. Well, as trustworthy as one could get. "Yeah, I know a place." The blurriness in her vision had ceased, and the nausea was calming down at a quick pace. "What's your name?"_

_The boy seemed hesitant but obliged her question. "Niles. And yours?"_

_"Corrin."_

_"Nice to meet you, Corrin." Niles let go of her arm, noticing she was capable of walking on her own two feet without collapsing by this point. "Now, lead the way."_

"Corrin?" A quiet voice woke Corrin up from her slumber. Her instincts took control, and she reached up to her pillow, where she always kept a knife in case someone tried to attack her while she was asleep. There was no knife there, of course. Her common sense regained control as her half-asleep mind remembered that she wasn't in Nohr, she was in Hoshido. Then she realized that the girl looking down at her wasn't a scoundrel with ill intentions, it was her "little sister".

Corrin sat up quickly, Sakura stepping back to make sure Corrin didn't hit her on her way up. "If you ever wake me up like that again, I'm gonna wring your damn neck." Corrin mumbled, much to Sakura's shock.

"I'm sorry! It's just that it's the middle of the day, and you never woke up, so I came t-to check on you." Sakura stammered fearfully. Corrin blinked, remembering that she was supposed to be trying to be nice to these people.

"Right. Right! Thanks for that. Sorry, I guess my sense of humor is a little warped, huh?" Corrin chuckled. She stood up, still in the tattered kimono she had worn before. She looked down, only just having noticed her clothes. "Oh, I'm still wearing this?" As Corrin casually began to remove the clothing, Sakura was out of her room like a lightning bolt, slamming the door shut behind her.

"I-I'll give you some privacy!" Sakura shouted from the other side of the door. Corrin just raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and resumed changing out of her current clothes and into some new ones. Browsing through her dresser, she found a soft red skirt and white blouse, an oddly Nohiran style, albeit with more Hoshidan colors. Perhaps one of those maids arranged the outfit. Either way, Corrin was just glad there was something somewhat familiar to wear while her armor was still being fixed up.

After Corrin was done getting dressed, she approached her room's door, finding it was left unlocked. She casually opened it, catching Sakura completely unaware. "So, did you mean to leave this door open, or…"

Sakura practically jumped out of her skin but managed to calm her nerves after a few seconds of panic. "Um, n-no, I didn't! Ryoma said that you don't need to be locked in your room anymore, as long as you don't leave the room without someone keeping an eye on you. And I thought I could…"

That explained it. Ryoma likely understood Corrin had no intention of stopping her attempts to escape her room, so this must've been an attempt to placate her. Not that she minded, of course. It would give her an excuse to look over the castle, checking for escape routes, guard patterns, the works. And with innocent little Sakura being her guide, she wouldn't have to worry about suspicion. "That is a great idea, Sakura!" Corrin forced a bright smile. "Show me the whole place. All your favorite spots, the important things, all that."

Sakura was downright ecstatic to see Corrin so seemingly eager to tour the castle with her, nodding her head. "Right! This way, I'll show you the mess hall first!"

Elise

Another day after the robbery, another day of Elise's retainers doting over her like she was a puppy. She loved them both for it, of course. One couldn't ask for more devoted and caring retainers to serve them. But after a while, the constant concern, even more than usual, had just become…stifling. While a maid helped her with her hair, Elise had to listen to Effie ask her yet again if she truly, really, absolutely, positively, certainly, one-hundred-percent, extra totally with a cherry on top, was okay. And Elise, once again, answered that yes, she was truly, really, absolutely, positively, certainly, one-hundred-percent, extra totally with a cherry on top, was okay.

What was she supposed to tell Effie and Arthur? That in reality, she wasn't okay? That she had the image of  _her_  face stuck in her mind? That look of betrayal, that image of disgust. That moment when someone who she had grown so close to turned into someone who had no qualms about holding a knife to her throat.

All Elise had wanted to do was escape from being a princess, even if it was just for a little while. Every day, she would watch her siblings be forced to endure the responsibility of their titles. Father was forcing Xander and Leo to handle more and more executions. Camilla was always being sent off to suppress rebellions. And Elise knew that father's attention was slowly turning to her. Her siblings had protected her from the horrors of the life of a Nohrian royal for as long as they could, but it seemed that father no longer wished to entertain the notion that she was too young for the responsibility.

Elise was sick of it all. She just wanted to be happy, without worrying about the disgusting, violent politics of Nohr. When she remembered the secret passage out of Castle Krakenburg that Camilla had shown her all those years ago, she knew that she had to try it. Even if it was just to escape for a few hours every week or two, it was enough for her. What she didn't expect was to find that in the time since she was much littler, people had settled outside of the passage, in the expansive sewer tunnels beneath Windmire. She stole some simple clothing from one of the castle maids and dressed in it, going to the bustling secret town and pretending to just be another peasant girl. The feeling, at least to her, was liberating.

Eventually, Elise found a surprising face within the underground city; her former nanny, Cassita. She had assumed the woman had moved on to another job after Elise had grown too old, but as it turned out, the poor woman had been fired from service to the Royal Family. Elise couldn't support her using her family's money without revealing her trips there, so she devised a new plan. Every time she went down, she would first visit the castle garden and pick several of the prettiest flowers she could find. Then, she'd return to the underground and sell them, still under the guise of a simple peasant girl. She gave all the money to Cassita without any hesitation or second thoughts. It was the least she could do for the woman who gave her so much of her love when she was little.

Of course, Cassita wasn't the only friend Elise had made. One day, while selling flowers as usual, she accidentally wandered down the wrong tunnel and found herself quickly surrounded by various thugs. Just as she thought she was done for, three thieves appeared and killed the thugs without breaking a sweat. Of course, when she first met them, she had no idea of their profession. Even when they mentioned what they did for a living, Elise didn't find herself too bothered by the idea. If they were kind enough to save her despite wanting nothing in return, then they were good people, thieves or not.

Rinkah was always an interesting case. It had been explained to Elise that Rinkah didn't like talking about where she came from. In her own experience, it seemed like Rinkah just didn't like talking very much at all. Still, her usually stalwart expression always seemed to soften when it was just her and the others, even if she didn't talk much more than usual.

Niles was a total weirdo. He was always scruffy-looking, even for a thief, and she had a feeling that his eyepatch wasn't just for show. Elise never understood half the jokes he made, but Corrin either would laugh, punch him in the face for saying them around her, or a combination of the two.

Corrin. Elise had taken a special liking to her. No matter what she was doing, Corrin always did it with confidence, even if it did tend to turn into arrogance. The girl originally didn't like Elise very much, claiming she only saved her "because I don't let kids die for no reason", but after enough time spent with her, Corrin soon opened up, becoming a close friend of hers. She even once said she considered Elise to be like a little sister.

Elise knew she could never confide in any of them her greatest secret, however. She had heard the way Corrin talked about the rich of Nohr, how greatly she despised them, the venom that she spat every time they were mentioned. Niles and Rinkah certainly had no objections to her way of thinking. It made Elise guilty every time she heard them talk about it.

One day, Leo had promised Elise she could browse through his private library, located in a mansion owned by the Royal Family. She was eagerly anticipating the event, having always wanted to get a good look at a few of the books he used for his studying. Of course, she had to swear not to read any tomes out loud in order to calm Leo's worry about her setting the place on fire.

The day Elise arrived, she had been informed by the maids there, Flora and Felicia, that Leo wouldn't be arriving for a few hours, but that she was welcome to browse the contents of his library in the meantime. Elise hadn't even pondered what other purposed the mansion may have served. A storage house for minor Nohrian artifacts, for example.

Elise cleared her thoughts as the maid finally finished her hair, and Effie finally finished pestering her. She didn't want to think about the looks on the three's faces when they recognized her, the betrayed tones their voices took…besides, she had more pressing issues to attend to.

Later in the day, when the residents of Castle Krakenburg had settled in for the night, Elise donned her peasant garb once again, ignoring the castle garden as she headed to the secret passageway as always. On her way, she was nearly spotted by two figures in the hallway on the way, only avoiding their attention by hiding behind a pillar. She recognized the two voices as those of Iago and Zola, two of father's servants, and some of the most despicable men she had ever met.

"You're positive? She's been found?" Iago asked, his voice indicating a worry that Elise rarely saw Iago display.

"Yes, I know it for a fact!" Zola exclaimed excitedly. "My spies in Castle Shirasagi have seen her themselves. It seems she didn't starve to death on the streets like you thought." Zola's sharp tone indicated a petty blow at Iago's ego.

"Zola, I'd rather you cease your pettiness for something as important as this." Iago's voice had gotten far scarier. It seemed Zola got the hint. Iago sighed. "This is worrying news indeed. The lost princess of Hoshido, found alive…the morale boost this would give Hoshido would make any plans we have for them far more difficult. Tell your spies that she must be eliminated at all costs."

"You wish for me to put my spies in danger so you can enact your own schemes!?"

"I am not wishing, Zola, I am ordering." The two bickered back and forth for a while longer, before Zola finally relented, the two of them leaving. Elise wasn't quite sure what to make of the story. She had always been told there were only four heirs of the former Hoshidan king. Perhaps it was just another dark secret hidden from her by her siblings. The conversation didn't leave much to the imagination on why they assumed the girl to be dead.

Elise continued to the underground, understanding that whatever happened to the princess was not her issue to deal with. She had one that was far more important. She was glad that she had somehow yet to run into Corrin, Niles and Rinkah since that night at the mansion. Perhaps they had gone into hiding after such a big heist. Maybe she was just lucky. She would have to keep pushing her luck, knowing that she needed to keep coming to see Cassita.

"Cassita, I'm here!" Elise cried out as she entered the woman's humble home, peering around to find no response. Perhaps Cassita was out buying groceries at the moment. Elise set her flower basket on a table, removing a paste she had smuggled from an infirmary at the castle. Staffs were too risky to smuggle down, so Elise had to resort to more traditional medicine.

Elise stepped into the back room, looking at the guest on her bed, his eyes gazing at her. "I'm back!" Elise cheerfully greeted, ignoring the cold silence from the man. "Sorry, I still couldn't figure out how to get a staff down here, but this paste should help dull the pain."

"The pain is irrelevant." The man responded, this being one of the few times he had spoken to Elise since she found him bleeding out near the secret entrance to the castle. Elise brought him to Cassita, and she had been taking care of him while his injuries healed ever since.

"I don't have any other medicine with me right now, so it's either less pain or nothing at all. And I don't want my trip to be for nothing, so I think I'll help with the pain." Elise smeared some of the paste on her fingers, applying it to the area around the man's heavily bandaged shoulder. She noticed his shoulders relax almost immediately upon her applying the medicine and found that she couldn't help but smile. "See? I knew you'd appreciate it. Now, maybe one of these days you can tell me who exactly you are?"

"…Kaze." The man eventually answered. Elise was surprised that he chose now of all times to finally properly introduce himself, but she accepted it nonetheless. "I planned not to tell you this, but the way you've cared after me, despite never having met me…it puts me in your debt. I owe you at least an explanation for who I am."

Now Elise was curious. She finished applying the paste, standing up and washing her fingers off in a bowl of water. "Well? I'm all ears."

"I know who you are, Princess Elise." Kaze spoke. Elise felt her blood run cold as she slowly turned around to face him. "I know who you are because I was sent here to spy on you, under orders from High Prince Ryoma of Hoshido."


	6. I Don’t Wanna Die

Hinoka

Having Corrin suddenly turn up alive after over a decade of her being assumed dead was about as shocking as it could get. At least, that's what Hinoka thought until she learned that in the time since she was lost in Nohr, she had become a career criminal, a bonafide outlaw. She couldn't tell if her joy of seeing her sister again was stronger than her discomfort at the path in life the girl had taken.

It was like Corrin was an entirely different person. She glared at everyone, even her own siblings, with distrust and paranoia. If she wasn't cold and hostile, she was rude, brash and insensitive, insulting those around her with a sadistic fervor. It didn't take a genius to tell she enjoyed stirring up anger from those around her. She just wondered why. Why would she become this?

"Why?" Corrin repeated, her eyebrow raised as she looked to Hinoka. "You make it sound like I had another option." The two of them were currently in a training ground, Corrin having wanted to do a bit of training before her sword-arm got rusty. Her attacks were an enigma. They carried grace behind them, calculated and smooth movements with a reserved stance that reminded her of a Hoshidan Ninja. However, it seemed like the gracefulness of her strikes would break at a moment's notice, replaced by frenetic, rapid attacks. The only predictable part of Corrin's maneuvers was just how unpredictable they were.

"I…" Hinoka paused. Corrin had a point, and Hinoka had failed to even consider the fact. "I guess you make a good point there."

"What, too used to your ivory towers to grasp the concept of struggling at something?" Corrin jabbed, striking the training dummy in front of her. Her attacks were growing rougher. "I get it, you aren't exactly familiar with the art of 'trying', but you can at least put in a little effort into imagining my circumstances."

Hinoka had had enough. Even her love for her sister only could extend so far. "That's enough!" She shouted. Corrin stopped her training for a moment, her face turned away from Hinoka. "I understand that you had a hard life growing up. I realize that you have a lot of baggage from that, and you naturally may not be keen on opening up because of it. However, that's no excuse for the way you've been behaving. You need to realize that things aren't gonna go back to the way they were before." Corrin whacked the training dummy one last time as a servant girl came into the training grounds, noticing the heavily damaged dummy and grabbing it, moving it to a nearby storage shed.

"Who says they won't? I could leave today." Corrin suggested, much to Hinoka's ire. "It wouldn't take too much, after all. Just find some dope of a guard to escort me around, give him a good kick to the crotch, steal his keys, maybe even his outfit if it fits, and make my way out. My job is breaking into things; you really don't think I'd be able to break out of here?"

"This is not your prison, Corrin." Hinoka softened her voice, trying to appeal to her sister. "This is your home." Corrin turned to face Hinoka, tossing her wooden sword to the side as she walked over to her. She opened her mouth to speak, then seemingly changed her mind about whatever she was going to say. "Corrin, we're your family. I'm sorry we weren't there for you, for all those years. But we can change that now, we can—"

"Shut up."

"Corrin, don't—"

"Shut the hell up!" Corrin exclaimed, her voice growing more agitated. "Just, shut up, for five seconds." Hinoka stopped talking, watch Corrin's eyes flicker back and forth. With a flash of movement, she whipped around, grabbing the wrist of the servant girl who was walking behind her. In the girl's hand was a serrated, highly sharp dagger. "Thought I heard something." Corrin squeezed tight on the girl's wrist, causing her to cry out in pain. "Drop the damn dagger." Her voice was threatening, and Hinoka knew a grip like that could break the girl's wrist without much effort.

As the girl finally relented, dropping the dagger, Corrin caught it before it could hit the ground, letting go of the girl's hand and punching her in the face, sending her to the dirt. Three more servants began to approach, each slowly drawing their own daggers. How had Hinoka not noticed? She cursed her lack of awareness as she noticed her naginata laying to the side behind the servants. "Damnit, I'm defenseless!" Hinoka growled.

"You have your fists, don't you!?" Corrin exclaimed, charging at the three girls. She went for the one on the left, ducking low beneath a swipe of her dagger. Corrin slashed at her leg, causing her to wail from the deep wound the serrated blade left. Without hesitation, Corrin tackled the girl to the ground, stabbing the dagger into her neck. Corrin grabbed the girl's dagger from her lifeless hands, turning and flinging it at one who was just about to stab at her. The dagger lodged itself in her shoulder, making the girl scream as she fell to the ground.

Corrin ran at the third and last attacker, despite being unarmed. The girl lunged her knife out, and Corrin grabbed her hand, nearly accidentally grabbing the blade of the weapon itself. She twisted, a loud snap accompanying it as the attacker's wrist bent in an unsightly position. Corrin brought her arm up, elbowing down hard on the girl's now broken wrist, forcing her to drop her knife. Corrin caught it with ease, flipping it in her hand and driving it up into the girl's arm.

Hinoka saw the archer behind Corrin, aiming his shot whilst she was still completely unaware. As Corrin yanked the knife from the attacker's arm, Hinoka ran at her, pushing her to the ground just as the archer let loose his arrow, accidentally hitting his own ally in the eye as a result, sending her to the ground, dead. Corrin was in no way unaware of Hinoka's intentions, now noticing the archer. She roughly shoved Hinoka off her and got onto one knee, flinging her knife at the archer and hitting him in the chest, killing him.

Corrin and Hinoka both got up, turning to face the two surviving attackers. One had taken a knife from the ground, holding it to her own throat. "Wait, don't!" Hinoka cried out, but it was too late. She watched as the girl ended her own life, plunging the dagger right into her own throat. The other girl, the very first one Corrin had defeated, was sitting down, her hands behind her on the floor as she looked up at the two princesses, absolutely terrified.

Hinoka knew this girl was no trained assassin. Neither were any of the others. They were too sloppy, too easily detectable. The girl looked like nothing more than a simple servant. Her black hair was tied into pigtails, with a white flower on either side keeping them tied. Gray eyes sat above freckled cheeks, now a bright red as her lips quivered in fear. "P-please, don't kill me!" She begged, her arms pushing her further back as Corrin approached. "I swear, I didn't want to do any of this!"

Corrin grabbed the girl by her hair and yanked her up with all the roughness and carelessness that one might see in a brigand. "What the hell do you think you and these other idiots were trying to pull, huh!?" She screamed into the girl's face, horrifying her further. Hinoka considered stopping her but realized Corrin's rough personality might actually end up helping for once.

It seemed the girl's mind was still undecided on whether she was in fight or flight mode, as she quickly tried to push Corrin away. The princess's response was a swift knee to the gut, knocking the wind out of the girl before throwing her to the ground. "She's no assassin. Just some girl." She turned to face Hinoka. "A Hoshidan girl, at that." Corrin walked out of the training grounds, Hinoka turning herself to watch her leave.

"Where are you going?" Hinoka asked, looking over at the bodies still laying in the training grounds and the girl, bruised and beaten, sniffling and sobbing.

"I'm gonna go tell someone about this. You keep an eye on her. I'd do it myself but I'm not sure I can trust myself not to stab her." Corrin's tone was just as dismissive as her behavior as if there hadn't just been an attempt on her life. Was she just good at hiding how she was affected by the encounter? Or perhaps she had become used to her life being so openly threatened. She remembered Corrin's answer, finding herself wondering if she really had any idea just how much her sister had gone through in Nohr.

_"You make it sound like I had another option."_

Elise

This was really, really bad. Elise, after hearing Kaze's story to hear, describing how his entire mission was to keep tabs on her and report any information back to Prince Ryoma of Hoshido himself, still vowed to help the ninja recover. She couldn't just leave him with that kind of injury, no matter who he was. It went against everything she had learned as a healer.

Of course, that wasn't the bad part. The bad part was when she exited Cassita's house and found herself face to face with a familiar blonde. Leo stared down at her, disguised in peasant garb just like her, but there was no mistaking he was her brother. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest the moment she saw him. "Sister." Leo greeted, his voice poorly hiding his agitation.

Leo didn't wait for a response from the stunned Elise, pushing past her and into the house. Elise panicked, following behind him. "I encountered Cassita on the way here. She filled me in on the details of what you've been doing down here." He sounded almost smug, like he was all too proud of himself for discovering what Elise had been doing. "I expected better of you than to devote your time and risk your safety all to heal some stranger."

Stepping into the back room, Leo found the bed inside empty. Right as he turned his head, Kaze slammed his uninjured shoulder against his side, knocking him off-balance. Leo lost his footing and fell to the ground, with Kaze struggling to stay on his own two feet. "NO!" Elise shouted, running into the room and standing between the two of them. "Kaze, stop! He won't hurt you! Right, Leo?"

"I'm considering it." Leo grunted much to Elise's frustration, getting up and brushing himself off. He glared at Kaze, taking the sight of the man in. "He's a ninja, isn't he?"

Elise was rather taken aback by Leo's quick guess. "Yes. How did you know?"

Leo sighed. "Because one of my retainers claimed he had killed a ninja attempting to get into the castle from the secret tunnel you've been using." He glanced to Kaze, who had sat down on the edge of the bed, the heavy bandaging over his shoulder apparent. "It seems he didn't make an effort to confirm his success. Blonde hair, talks too much and too loud?" He asked. Kaze nodded. "I'll have to talk to Odin about spending less time wallowing in triumph and more time actually triumphing."

"Please Leo, you can't let anybody know about Kaze!" Elise pleaded. "It's not just because they'd find out about my trips here! Kaze trusts me, he told me why he was here. I want to help him."

"You talk of him like he's a lost puppy. He is a Hoshidan spy, Elise. The only thing we owe him is a swift death at the guillotine." A cold demeanor surrounded Leo's every word. Kaze silently watched the two siblings bicker back and forth. Just as it seemed Leo was about to win out, Elise pulled the dirtiest, most underhanded trick she could think of. She whimpered, tears forming as she began to cry. Kaze could tell the crying was forced, but Leo fell for it with no problem.

"Fine! I'll keep your secret. And to ensure he keeps it too, I'll help him out of Nohr." Leo gave in. Elise immediately ceased crying, her bright, bubbly smile returning in an instant. "Now that I think about it…I have just the idea for how. One that will benefit us both." That caught Elise's attention.

"Benefit us both? So you're not just doing it out of the kindness of your heart for your little sister?" Elise asked, pouting when Leo shook his head.

"When father ambushed and killed Sumeragi, Hoshido's former ruler, his daughter, only a little girl at the time, managed to run and hide from our forces. Of course, considering her age, they assumed her to have died at some point as well." Leo closed his eyes, stress visible on his face. "Well, as we have discovered, she didn't. She was recently found and reunited with her family in Hoshido. That's why we're going to send a letter, congratulating the Hoshidan Royal Family, and requesting permission from Queen Mikoto to visit Castle Shirasagi."

"Hoshido hates our guts though!" Elise pointed out. Kaze was still silent, watching Leo explain his plan.

"Queen Mikoto is a pacifist and a diplomat, through and through. She'd even work with the children of the man who killed her husband if it meant Hoshido and Nohr would become less hostile towards eachother." Leo explained. "She'd doubtlessly accept our request. You, Camilla, Xander and I would go, as representatives of Nohr. Not only would we have a prime opportunity to improve relations with Hoshido…" He glanced at Kaze. "But we'd be able to drop him off without drawing any suspicions."

"Man Leo, you're so good at this stuff that it's kind of scary." Elise complimented, impressed by Leo's plan. She looked over at Kaze. "What do you think?"

Kaze closed his eyes, crossing his arms. "I must admit, it's a sound strategy. So long as your brother has no hidden agenda."

"Do you doubt my sincerity?" Leo asked, agitation bubbling up once again. "If I wanted you dead, I'd kill you myself, here and now. You know as well as I do of the magical barrier."

"Fair enough." Kaze conceded. "Very well, I'll follow along with your plan."

Takumi

"Magic barrier? The hell is that?" Corrin asked, now wearing her favorite armor, her forest-green cloak flowing down to her lower body as she leaned against a wall. The five Hoshidan siblings, as well as Queen Mikoto, were currently gathered in the Hoshidan war room with the royal tactician, Yukimura. Takumi sighed. Of course she wouldn't know about the magic barrier.

"Lady Mikoto has been manifesting a magic barrier around Hoshido for quite some time." Yukimura explained, looking over at Mikoto. She looked as pale and weak as usual. "It affects any Nohrians who enter with the intent to harm the Royal Family. Essentially, it's the ultimate deterrent. Nohr can not war against us, as nearly all of their soldiers would be pacified the moment they entered the lands within."

"It's why those assassins from the other day were Hoshidan." Ryoma added. "We are unaware of the intent of the fallen ones, but the girl who did survive told us that her village, regrettably outside of the barrier, was destroyed, and she was told by a Nohrian mage to work as a spy, or else he would kill her. Only a Hoshidan could even attempt an assassination on you inside of this castle, or most of Hoshido."

"It's despicable." Takumi muttered. "Nohrians truly have no shame." He had learned long ago to never assume that he'd seen the worst that Nohr had to offer. They always would manage to stoop even lower every time.

"It's damn clever, is what it is." Corrin commented, much to Takumi's anger, and the confusion of the others. "Don't get me wrong, it's despicable and horrible." She clarified. "Even someone as admittedly morally bankrupt as yours truly can see that. But credit where credit is due, they know how to think outside of the box."

"Mother, do you really think the barrier will prevent any kind of plot on your life while the Nohrians are here?" Hinoka asked, her worry clear.

"I won't lie to any of you; I see a possibility." Mikoto answered. Hinoka and Sakura's worry only grew, while Ryoma and Yukimura's expressions remained neutral. Corrin and Takumi for once both shared the same train of thought, their confusion evident. "However, I must take that chance. If it means we could begin some form of formal communication with Nohr that isn't threats and soulless words of nothing, it will be worth the risk."

Takumi couldn't believe what he was hearing. Had everyone gone mad except for him? First his family accepted in a fraud claiming to be his sister, and now his mother was letting the people responsible for Hoshido's strife for decades waltz into Castle Shirasagi without a care in the world! How could they be so blind to the clear danger they were inviting into their homes?

Mozu

It was all over for her, she knew that. Attempting to take the life of a Hoshidan Royal was more than enough to earn the death penalty. She kept replaying the memory of her village being razed to the ground, her mother torn apart by Faceless in front of her eyes. She had been dragged by soldiers, kicking and screaming, brought to a Nohrian mage who looked more like a jester. That didn't mean he wasn't threatening; Mozu knew his threats were very real when he held a blade to her throat.

It seemed she was destined to die regardless. She just had to wait out the short remainder of her life in a dark, dingy cell, wondering if she could've ever done anything to change things for the better. Ironically, her regret was the only thing keeping her going.

"How are the guards treating you? Not too terribly, I hope?" A familiar voice rung out. Mozu lifted her head up from staring at the ground, looking for the source. From the shadows emerged Princess Corrin with a grin that seemed downright evil. "I've always been one to petition for better rights for prisoners. Though I guess I do have a bit of a vested interest seeing how often I've been one."

"W-why are you here?" Mozu asked, her legs curled up, so her body was in a ball. "I didn't think you'd wanna see me after what I tried to do…"

"On the contrary Mozu, it's what you did that made me want to visit you." Corrin expressed. Mozu was even more confused by this point. "You're just a simple farm girl, from what I've heard. Yet somehow you were able to work as an active spy for Nohr without any suspicion being drawn towards you, for months. That kind of natural talent is impressive."

"B-but we only were found out because I messed up…It's all my fault in the end." Mozu lamented. She felt as if she was to blame for the deaths of the other spies the moment they started dropping like flies from Corrin's assault. She hadn't known them well, but they were the only people she could talk to. And now they were all gone.

"Honestly, it was actually one of the others who gave it away. She acted way too shifty for her own good. I just grabbed you first because you were the one who actually went in for the kill." Corrin was rather casual in her admittance. "On the subject of killing, I find it interesting that the girl ended her own life, but you didn't. Why is that?"

"I think she may have had some family to go back to. Maybe the Nohrians were gonna kill them if she didn't do it." Mozu suggested. She doubted that everyone came from similar circumstances to her. "I don't. And I…I didn't want to die. I wanna stay alive." Mozu found her hands were shaking. "I don't wanna die." It was only as she said it that she realized just how desperate she was to keep living on. She didn't even have any reason to keep going. Her family was dead, her home burned to the ground, nothing remaining of her past life but memories and the clothes on her back. Yet, despite everything, she was terrified at the thought of dying.

"…Maybe you don't have to."

Mozu's hands stopped shaking as she realized she hadn't misheard what Corrin had just said to her. "What do you mean?"

"I'm a princess, and the one you tried to off. If anybody could get you out of this, it's me." Corrin explained, picking some dirt from under her nails as she spoke. "Though, I'm not just gonna free you out of my everlasting desire to be a humanitarian." She quipped dryly.

Mozu gulped, trying to steady her breathing as she felt the faintest flicker of hope fill her heart for the first time in days. "What do you need me to do?"

"Now that's the kind of attitude I'm looking for." Corrin's grin only grew wider as she walked right up to the bars of the cell. Mozu stood up, trying to look less weak in front of her only chance of salvation. "Have you ever considered thieving as a potential career path?"

A few minutes later, Corrin walked away from Mozu's cell, her posture exuding a confidence that wasn't there when she came in. As she headed for the dungeon exit, Niles made his presence known. "You know, they were gonna let her go anyways. Mikoto didn't think it right to let her die for it."

A chuckle escaped Corrin's lips. "Yeah, I know. But now she feels like she owes us her life. She's far less likely to rat on us." Niles nodded in understanding, and the two left the dungeons together, having added another cog to their machine.


	7. The Time for Honesty

Saizo

He had read the letter over and over again. His eyes would dart across the page, scanning it for any sign of a secret message, a code, anything. Yet, despite everything suggesting otherwise, it seemed that the message from the Nohrian Royal Family truly had no secrets to hide. He had hoped to avoid distracting Kagero from her current tasks, but eventually gave in and requested her advice on the matter.

Kagero's response? Bring the princess in. Corrin was pouring over the letter, her eyes narrow as she softly hummed. He glanced over to Kagero, who merely gave him a look that said, "Give her a chance."

"Ah, I think I've got it." Corrin muttered under her breath, catching Saizo and Kagero's attention. "Come here, look at this." The ninjas each stood on either side of Corrin, staring down at the letter. "Okay, so when I was in Nohr, I once took a job for this governor who wanted me to steal from his son-in-law. Man, that one was so much fun. Just to get into the guy's place I had to get in his good graces, and did that give me some fantastic blackmail at the end of the day after I had gotten him in bed—"

"Focus." Saizo spoke harshly, snapping Corrin out of her tangent. He wasn't too worried if he was being rude about it, he knew she wouldn't be particularly bothered.

"Right, right." Corrin put her index finger to the first letter in the message. "The governor used a code of sorts to communicate with me when I was undercover in his son-in-law's mansion. Nohrian nobles love their fancy writing, and a few of them had used it to mask messages. It's all about the little details…" She traced her finger over the letter, noting the elegant lining which trailed off from it. "That connects to…" She moved her finger in the direction of the lining, connecting with another letter. "Here. Notice how this 'a' is more curved than the rest, with a sharper top. Add that to the first letter…"

Once she had started, Corrin was moving at a brisk pace through the message, connecting the letters whilst explaining the specifics of the code to the two ninjas. Saizo had to admit, it was an ingenious method of disguising messages. Penmanship was beloved by Nohrian society, seen as one of the staples of cultured life. If your note didn't display handwriting that expressed grace and care, your reputation could suffer as a result. Of course, this only applied to high society. It was the perfect method for a code that could keep anyone else out of the loop.

"And adding that last one…" She stopped, blinking in confusion. "What the hell is a Kaze?" The room seemed to freeze for a second as Saizo and Kagero processed what she had just said. Corrin noticed the shock. "It's not a complex message. It just says 'Kaze'. That's it. Though to be fair, a letter that size would have a hard time hiding anything more complex."

"That's all we need. You can go now." Saizo said, much to Corrin's annoyance. Regardless, she left as he requested, mumbling something about how Kagero still needed to make good on her word. Saizo's gaze turned to Kagero. "What did you promise her in exchange for her help?"

"Autonomy in moving around Castle Shirasagi. She will no longer need to be escorted at all times." Kagero explained. "Ryoma gave me the go-ahead."

"I'm not worried about Ryoma being okay with it, I'm worried about how she may exploit this." Saizo glanced at the note. "However, that is secondary. Kaze's with the Nohrians. We can't glean from just his name what kind of situation this is, but we need to keep on the lookout for clues once they arrive."

"Saizo, I won't tell you not to get your hopes up, but…" Kagero gave an understanding look to Saizo. "Temper your expectations. Kaze is a talented ninja, but no man is invulnerable. Expect neither the best nor worst; only what you believe he is capable of."

"Thank you, Kagero." The woman nodded in response to Saizo's gratitude, swiftly leaving the room. Saizo turned his attention back to the letter. His brother was still alive, that much he could gather. That much was more than enough to calm him. Kaze was still out there.

Mozu

Mozu honestly had half-expected it to have all been one big joke. She expected that Corrin would never return, and she'd wind up dead. Then, a guard came to her cell, unlocked it, and escorted her right to Corrin's room. Now here she was, sitting down on a floormat as she looked nervously at Corrin and two strangers.

"I don't like her." The unknown girl spoke, her gaze piercing daggers into the meek farmgirl. The man with the eyepatch, meanwhile, gave her a look that spoke more of curiosity than animosity.

"She's got raw talent in spades." Corrin justified, grinning per usual. "She just needs the right people to teach her how to use it. People like us. Right, Mozu?" She smiled at Mozu, who glanced away, still mostly terrified.

"She's a walking panic attack. You really think she's gonna keep our secrets?" The man with the eyepatch asked, looking Mozu over. "She's cute as a button, I'll give her that, but she doesn't exactly seem like the type who'd stay adamant under pressure." That made Mozu's face go bright red. She wasn't sure what was worse, the insult or the compliment.

"She was able to work as a spy for Nohr for months without drawing a bit of suspicion. She's reliable." Corrin answered, which seemed to alleviate the man's worries. She turned back to Mozu. "Ah, right, I forgot that introductions are in order! This is Niles." The man waved. "When it comes to breaking and entering, he's the best at entering. If he tries to hit on you or says something that sounds even vaguely suggestive, just punch him. Works every time."

"Maybe I like getting punched." Niles suggested with a lecherous grin. Corrin's response was swift and brutal, a sucker punch to the jaw leaving him sprawled out on the floor. Mozu wasn't sure if she should laugh or cower in fear.

"Moving on…" Corrin dusted her hands off, then walked to the other girl. "This here is Rinkah. Strong, reliable, she's our wall. And we love her for it. She's the 'breaking' part of breaking and entering." Rinkah seemed to barely acknowledge the compliment, only momentarily glancing Corrin's way. "Don't worry if she doesn't talk to you. We're her best friends and we only manage to get a few words out of her during a conversation."

"Then…what's my role?" Mozu asked, her voice still soft and quivering. Corrin paused, her smile fading.

"Well, you don't have one. Not yet, anyway. You did try to murder me after all, and that means that nobody's going to trust you as far as they can throw you. Giving you a job right now would just be too risky." Mozu deflated upon hearing the news, sighing and looking down at her lap. "However, that doesn't mean you'll just be sitting around, twiddling your thumbs. Niles is gonna educate you in the art of thievery."

Niles had gotten up, grumbling a few obscenities that weren't heard by Corrin, thankfully for him. Though, when Mozu heard some of his choice words, she felt like she was about to die from embarrassment. She had never heard someone with such a foul mouth before. And he was going to be her teacher.

Oh gods, what had she gotten herself into?

Azura

It was the dead of night, and Azura had a grave responsibility on her shoulders. This task, requested by Queen Mikoto herself, was entrusted solely to her. She was told that she was the only one who could hope to succeed. Her mission? Make Corrin and Takumi get along. It was easy enough to concoct a reason for Takumi to go to a small garden in the castle in the middle of the night, but Corrin would be a different story.

As Azura approached Corrin's room, she could hear laughing coming from within. Letting her curiosity overcome her respect for the woman's privacy, she walked to the door, holding an ear against it and listening in.

"—yet he tried to tell me that we were soulmates or something! I said, 'Look, the only thing keeping me around you is your money, and I took it all!' He started stammering and stuttering like an idiot!" Corrin's story got quite the rise out of what Azura assumed to be Niles. She could only tell by his voice, and she didn't know him all too well. "Oh, but I've got one even better. There was this one time—"

"Corrin. Someone's at the door." Rinkah spoke officially. The noise in the room seemed to die down instantly. Azura quickly stepped away, trying to look like she had just been passing by. The door was opened, with Corrin standing in the doorway. She was clearly drunk, though certainly sober enough to be suspicious.

"How long have you been standing there?" Corrin asked, an eyebrow raised. Inside her room, Azura saw Niles trying not to pass out, multiple empty bottles on the floor around him. Rinkah sat next to him, not a single bottle nearby her. There was a third girl, one Azura assumed to be the assassin Corrin had taken in as another retainer, nervously glancing right at her.

"I was merely passing by. My apologies if my presence intruded on your gathering." Azura lied, hoping Corrin would accept her story as fact given her drunken state. "Though, if it isn't too much of a bother, perhaps you may accompany me on my stroll?" Corrin deliberated, needing a little extra time due to her slight intoxication.

"Eh, why not?" Corrin shrugged. She turned to face the others. "Hey guys, I'll be back in a bit." No objections were made, so Corrin shut the door and turned back to face Azura. "Well, lead the way!"

Azura was glad that Corrin didn't decline. Being honest, she had no idea how to properly tackle the issue of Corrin and Takumi's animosity towards eachother. They both were trying to hide it, and thinking they were doing a great job. Though, that was mostly self-delusion on their part; nobody was falling for their faux niceties. She just hoped that perhaps an honest conversation between the two would at least be a start.

Unfortunately for her, the near-instant the two spotted eachother, tensions began to boil. "What's she doing here?" Takumi asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"I could ask you the same, you know." Corrin shot back. "I was just having a nice walk with Azura." The two of them seemed to figure out what was going on around the same time, their gazes shooting over to Azura. She calmed herself, knowing that she had to be the responsible one here and lead by example.

"I brought both of you here on purpose." Azura explained, not wanting them to get hung up on her lies. "Lying about it was the only way I could guarantee you'd both arrive."

"Well, we're here now." Takumi folded his arms. "What do you want from us?"

"I will refrain from wasting time, so allow me to be frank." Azura was never one for direct confrontation. She wasn't great under pressure, which said confrontations seemed to bring in spades. However, she was willing to deal with the stress for this. "The two of you need to get along. You may think your efforts to hide your loathing are effective, but everybody can tell."

"Man, was it really that obvious?" Corrin rubbed the back of her head. "I assumed I was doing a better job at hiding just how much of a loser I think you are." Azura could already see the situation falling apart.

"Oh, so now's the time for honesty, is it?" Takumi's anger was like a powder keg being lit. "Fine then, let's express some honesty." He took a step closer to Corrin. "I don't like you. More importantly, I don't trust you. I don't believe for a second that you're my sister." Another step closer. Azura tried to speak, but the anxiety of it all was getting to her. "You know what I think? I think you're just some Nohrian thief, looking to capitalize on the coincidence that you look similar to our sister. I think that the second you get the chance, you'll steal everything that isn't nailed down and run. I think you're nothing but a street rat, scum."

The silence was so thick, Azura felt like she couldn't even breathe. Corrin looked…well, Azura wasn't sure what she looked like. The girl seemed to still be pondering and digesting what Takumi had just said. Then, she spoke. "So, you think I'm just some Nohrian piece of trash, huh?" Takumi didn't respond, continuing to stare right at her. Corrin closed the gap between the two of them. "Remind me, that magic barrier that mommy dearest has up prevents Nohrians from wishing harm on the Royal Family, right?"

As Takumi began to speak, he didn't even get a word out. Corrin punched him hard in the gut, with enough strength to destabilize his balance. As Takumi tried to recover, she punched him again, this time in the face. Takumi fell onto his back, and Corrin got on her knees, readying another punch. As she pulled her arm back, Azura grabbed it, holding it tightly in place.

"Corrin! That's enough!" Azura shouted, mustering all the forcefulness in her voice that she could. She had already failed miserably in her objective. The only thing she could do at this point was stopping Corrin from making things worse. The white-haired girl got up, yanking her arm roughly out of Azura's grip.

"Well, at least that proves I'm not a Nohrian." Corrin grumbled, storming off. Azura got on her knees next to Takumi. He didn't seem to be in any serious harm; he'd just have to worry about some nasty bruising. He didn't seem to care much for her presence either, standing up.

"Well Azura, I hope you got what you wanted out of that." Takumi growled, leaving the garden in just as bad of a mood as Corrin. Azura stayed on her knees, feeling nothing but self-loathing. She had just one job, and she couldn't even do that right. If anything, she just made the entire situation worse.

"L-Lady Azura? Is something wrong?" A voice called out. Azura looked towards the source, recognizing it as one of Corrin's retainers, Felicia. "I heard shouting, so I came over."

"Oh, Felicia. Thank you for your concern." Azura sighed, staring back at the ground. "I tried to get Takumi and Corrin to become better acquainted, but I think I just made things worse. Well, considering Corrin punched Takumi, I  _know_  I made things worse." Felicia got down next to Azura, giving a comforting smile.

"Well, it does seem like those two are practically destined to not get along." Felicia mused. "Though, they both like you more than they like eachother. Maybe if you talked to each of them separately about it, they'd be more willing to listen?"

Azura couldn't believe she hadn't thought of that. Of course, Corrin and Takumi would be more than ready to express their hate to eachother. Of course, they would refuse to even consider understanding the other. But, they both were willing to listen to her. She could use that. "Felicia, that's a fantastic idea. Thank you."

The maid blushed, an elated smile on her face. "Aww, thank you! It's nice to hear that kind of praise from you." Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Oh, dangit! I just remembered I'm supposed to be fetching water!" She sprung to her feet, dashing off without another word. Azura couldn't help but giggle as she watched her run.

Takumi

"Absolutely not." Takumi declared. Just the idea of apologizing to Corrin sounded absurd. "Did you forget that she punched me? Twice?" Thankfully for the prince, the bruising wasn't actually as bad as he expected, but his cheek was still a nasty shade of purple.

"Takumi, you called her scum." Azura reminded, much to Takumi's frustration. "I'm not saying what she did was warranted, but there's skepticism and there's being antagonistic. This is just as much your fault as it is hers."

Takumi rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. Azura was right. He had gone too far last night. Maybe…maybe he just needed to try to see Corrin as his sister. Maybe she really was the Corrin he used to know. Maybe he just...didn't want to get her back, only to face the possibility of losing her again. He wasn't quite sure why he acted the way he did. He just knew that he needed to change.

"Fine. I'll make an effort. So long as she does the same."

Corrin

"Yeah, sure, I'll forgive him."

Azura blinked in confusion, clearly having not expected Corrin to be so willing to admit fault. "Really?"

"Yeah, why not?" Corrin stretched her arms back. "Listen, I was an ass last night. I could blame it on the alcohol in my system, but honestly, it's on me. I know I haven't been too willing to warm up to people here, especially Takumi. But since we're friends, I'll make more of an effort for him."

"I didn't realize you already considered us such good friends." Azura giggled softly, delighted to hear it. In truth, it was one of the few things Corrin could say she wasn't even somewhat lying about. She did need to warm up to the others more, even if it was simply for the sake of getting their guard lowered more. But Azura? She genuinely enjoyed her company, which was weird considering she was the epitome of everything she disliked in a person. Humble, kind, soft-spoken, caring to a fault; it was like a concoction of personality traits that made her destined to hate her. Yet, she didn't. So yeah, she was still just doing this because she couldn't afford Takumi to be too wary of her. But, it definitely was a nice bonus to do it as a favor for Azura.

Leo

Everything was going according to plan. Kaze had been healed up enough to only have a mild discomfort when moving his shoulder, and Leo and his siblings were ready to head out to Hoshido by the next day. So when father requested his presence, Leo became worried that something had gone wrong.

And in a sense, something had. Standing in King Garon's throne room, aside from Leo and Garon himself, was a new man he had never seen before. Balding, yet looking surprisingly fit for his age, his face spoke volumes more than his seemingly innocent words. While he claimed he was simply a prisoner given a second chance at life in service to Garon, his face told Leo that he hadn't lost an ounce of the sadism that landed him in prison in the first place.

"Hans will be accompanying you and your siblings to Nohr. The Hoshidans should have no issue worrying about his intentions, considering the barrier is still in effect." Garon explained. Despite this, Leo worried still. It wasn't just Hans' threatening aura, or Garon's strange insistence on all the extra protection Leo and his siblings bring to a place where they wouldn't even be able to fight back. No, there was one more thing that made Leo suspect Garon had ulterior plans in so readily allowing this diplomatic mission.

It sat at Hans' side, glowing a haunting purple. Ganglari, Garon had called it. Leo was in no way skittish around the dark and arcane. Far from it; he had always been drawn to them, like a moth to a flame. But this sword…

It unnerved him.


	8. Personal Feelings

Azura

A scream of utter terror echoed down the halls of Castle Shirasagi. Azura knew who the scream belonged to. Almost immediately upon hearing it, she moved from a regular walk to a sprint, trying to figure out where Corrin was, and what was wrong. "NO, STAY AWAY!" The shouting was clearer now. It was coming from one of the gardens! "GET BACK!" More shouting. Azura finally pinned down the exact location.

There Corrin was, her back against a tree, trembling in her boots (disregarding that she was barefoot). There was a panic in her eyes that Azura had never seen before. Any confidence had completely vanished, replaced with absolute horror. And in front of her, a few ways away, was the source of her fears.

A cat. Sitting there, grooming itself with its tongue, was a brown striped cat, minding its own business. And Corrin was  _petrified_. "Ah…Corrin?" Azura made her presence known. "Are you alright?" The cat, likely a stray that had managed to sneak in, continued to keep to itself. As Corrin was alerted to Azura, her face went a crimson red, nearly as bright as her eyes.

"A-A-AZURA! GET IT TO GO AWAY!" Corrin shrieked, sounding more like a scared little girl than a tough rogue. "I'VE TRIED SHOUTING AT IT, BUT IT WON'T LEAVE!" The cat lifted its head up to stare at the two girls, a lackadaisical look in its eyes. "PLEASE, I'LL DO ANYTHING!" Azura was pretty sure Corrin actually meant that.

The blue-haired princess got down on one knee, rubbing her fingers together and clicking her tongue in an effort to grab the cat's attention. The feline took notice and stopped its grooming, approaching Azura and letting out a soft mewl. She let the cat sniff her fingers before scratching under its chin. Already, it was purring up a storm. "Hello there. Aren't you a cute one?" Azura asked, smiling.

"I SAID GET IT TO GO, NOT MAKE IT COME CLOSER!"

"It's just a cat, Corrin." Azura was perplexed by Corrin's reaction. After petting the animal a little longer, she stood up and faced the princess. "And quite the friendly one at that. What about it has you all worked up?" As she asked, neither of them noticed the cat walk right up to Corrin. That is, until it rubbed up against her leg.

Corrin's wail was almost inhuman as she practically jumped out of her skin. The blush was gone, replaced by cheeks so pale Azura could've sworn the poor girl had died and become a specter. The cat seemed to lose interest rather quickly in her and turned around, prancing off. As soon as it was far enough away, Corrin fell to the ground, her feet stretched outwards. "Stupid demon animals…" She grumbled, nursing her bruised ego.

"What about cats gets you so riled up? If I had never seen you before, I'd assume you were an entirely different person altogether." Azura inquired. Corrin just sighed.

"When I was a kid, I found this stray cat on the streets. I went to pet it, but it bit me instead. It scared the living daylights out of me. Not only that, but it was really,  _really_  sick." Corrin shuddered, hugging herself tight. "I found that out the hard way. Whatever disease it was carrying spread to me and left me bedridden for a month."

"Oh, Corrin, that's terrible." Azura said sympathetically. She had come down with a few nasty illnesses in her life, so she could relate to Corrin's plight. She instinctively clutched the pendant that hung from her neck, remembering times where she had felt far worse. "But you know, not all cats are like that. Many are kind and caring, if a little standoffish. Kind of like you." It was meant as a lighthearted compliment, and Corrin seemed to understand the intention, a soft smile growing on her lips.

"Oh, haha." Corrin mocked sarcastically, though not rudely like she would to most. Azura had never expected Corrin to take such a liking to her, and she certainly didn't expect to grow so fond of the girl in return. She worried that Corrin's relation to her own kidnapping would leave a rift between them, but Corrin seemed to be unable to care less. "I'm just glad nobody else seemed to hear that."

"I'm sure someone else heard. Soon enough, your fear of cats will spread throughout the castle." Azura teased, giggling when Corrin winced at the thought. "Oh, speaking of your image." Azura was reminded of something she was supposed to tell her. "Ryoma requested you to see him when you have the time. He said that your image as a princess needs to be improved."

"…What does that mean?"

Takumi

"GYAH!" Takumi roared as Corrin, wearing dancing shoes, stepped hard onto his own feet. The two of them were dressed in formal clothing, practicing ballroom dancing for the inevitable party that would accompany the arrival of the Nohrian Royal Family. Takumi wasn't a fantastic dancer by any means, and clearly, neither was Corrin. Still, he could tell when it was accidental and when it was on purpose. "Stop stomping on my feet!"

"It's retribution for every time you've stepped on mine!" Corrin furiously declared. "How am I supposed to learn if you're as graceful as a wild boar?" The two of them were practicing a simple waltz, with Azura watching them, since she was by far the best dancer in the castle. It was mostly a matter of convenience, so they could both improve.

"Speak for yourself! You're worse than I am!" Takumi rebutted. Corrin's response was another stomp on his foot, causing him to cry out in pain. As the two continued their awkward attempt at a waltz, Takumi glanced over to Azura, who had been rather silent up to this point. When he saw her face, he realized why. Azura looked like she was about to blow a fuse, her expression uncharacteristically sour. "Hey, Azura, are you alright? You look a little, uh…"

Azura took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She breathed out and opened her eyes, walking right up to Takumi. "Corrin, stand back for a moment." Azura said, her voice soft. Corrin complied, having also taken note of Azura's change in demeanor. Azura stood in front of Takumi and grabbed his arms, holding them out. "Remember, elbows straight." She laid her hands on his arms and his hands on her arms. "Now, lead."

"Azura, I'm not sure I'm ready to—" Takumi began to say, before being swiftly interrupted by Azura.

" **Lead.** " Azura repeated, her tone letting Takumi know full well that she was not asking him. He nervously put his left foot forward, and Azura put her right foot back. He moved on to the next step, moving his right foot forward and sideways, awkwardly and jaggedly performing the movement. Azura followed along, her motions smooth and graceful. As Takumi got onto the rhythm of the dance, he realized that his movements were becoming a bit smoother. Azura was a better teacher than he had given her credit for.

The movements slowly became more advanced, but Azura gave Takumi ample time to get down to motions before moving onto the next steps. He imagined the music that would accompany a dance like this, finding it helped him nail down the beat. He even began to smile as he felt himself grow more confident. Finally, Azura stopped, letting go of his arms. "Does that feel more natural now?" She asked.

"Yeah. I gotta hand it to you Azura, you really know how to lead by example." Takumi said, glancing over to Corrin. The girl seemed oddly annoyed. "Something wrong?" He asked, catching Corrin's attention.

"Huh? Oh, nothing." Corrin replied. "I'm just annoyed that you got it down so quickly with Azura's help. How am I supposed to step on your feet now?" It elicited a chuckle out of the group, the mood now considerably brighter than it was previously. "Hey, how about we take five? I'm gonna go grab a bite; I'm starving." Corrin didn't wait for an answer, walking off as she was speaking. Takumi could've sworn he saw a grimace on her face as she was turning away.

Corrin

Another memory. They were becoming more frequent. After that vision of a man's—presumably, Sumeragi's- brutal death, Corrin had begun seeing things. They were little, seemingly inconsequential little details. A statue that looked a little older, with a few extra chips off the design. A familiar smile inviting a feeling of nostalgia. This memory was far more substantial.

" _Big brother!" Corrin was wandering the halls of Castle Shirasagi. The ceiling was so much higher up, and she wasn't moving as fast. Occasionally, she'd even almost stumble and fall. "Big brooother!" She called out again. Where was he?_

_As if responding to her thoughts, Ryoma rounded the corner, looking down at Corrin and smiling. He was so young. "What's wrong, Corrin?" He looked so peaceful, so caring._

" _Teach me how to dance! I wanna learn how to dance!" She whined, jumping up and down to emphasize her point._

Corrin stood in her room, staring at her feet. As the vision of Ryoma teaching her played out in her head, she began mimicking the moves. Her footwork was still awkward, but it was a tangible improvement on her ability when she was practicing with Takumi. She sped up her pace, her posture straightening.

Corrin began to hum the tune that Azura was so fond of, letting her body flow with the music. The tempo matched that of a waltz, so it was perfect for the dance. Enjoying the privacy of her room, she began to sing, recalling the lyrics. "Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time, the path is—" she stopped singing, her body going still. What…what was she doing? Here she was, dancing the waltz and singing without a care in the world. Like…

Like a princess would. At that moment, Corrin felt nothing but shame. She fell to her knees. She wasn't her. She wasn't the Corrin they thought they were. Why was she remembering these things? "I'm not her…I'm not her…"

A knock on her bedroom door snapped Corrin out of it. She stood up and opened it, seeing Azura standing there. "Hello, Corrin. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah." Corrin lied. "Why would you ask?" She tried to put on a casual look in order to dissuade Azura's suspicions.

"Well, you did leave your dance lessons in a rather impromptu fashion." Azura pointed out. "Also, you're crying." Corrin's eyes widened as she brought a hand to her face, feeling her wet cheeks. "If you need some time alone, I understand. Just remember that if you have any troubles, I'm here to talk about it."

"Azura, I…" Corrin paused. "I'm good. But thank you for offering. Really, it means a lot." She wasn't lying. The amount of gratitude she had towards Azura at that moment was more than she could voice.

"Of course. I'd best continue teaching Takumi. He still needs to work on keeping his arms level." Azura turned and left. Corrin closed the door to her room. She couldn't let these memories get in her way. Perhaps she truly was born a princess. But that wasn't who she was anymore. It…it just wasn't.

Mozu

Everything hurt. Her arms, her legs, every joint and muscle felt like it was on fire. Niles' training was perhaps one of the most brutal things Mozu had endured in her entire life. At this moment, he had prepared a large rope and had her grab onto one end. "Alright. When I say 'go', you need to try and yank this rope from my hands." Likely a test to see if she still had any strength left after everything. "Ready, set…go!"

Mozu yanked on the rope with all her might…and fell right back onto her back. Niles had simply let go of the rope right before she pulled and let her own movements knock her down. "Hey, that's not funny!" She whined, standing up.

"You're right, it's not. What if you were fighting with an enemy and he did that? You'd be on the ground and he'd have a prime opportunity to stab you in the throat." Niles had lost any semblance of his laid-back attitude the moment training had started. She could tell that this was something he took deathly seriously. "Now, how could you have foreseen and prevented that?"

"Um…well, I guess I coulda realized that you use lots of tricks like that, and seen something like that coming?" Mozu asked.

"Right. Now, onto the next lesson." Upon hearing that, Mozu groaned. They had already been at it for hours. What else could he have left to teach her?

As it turned out, a whole lot. By the end of the day, she had somehow managed to pickpocket a key from one of the palace guards. She handed it to Niles with shaky hands. "What was the point of this lesson?" She asked, her heart still beating out of her chest. She was amazed she hadn't been caught.

"Oh, that wasn't a lesson. That was a job." Niles flashed a grin for the first time all day. "And you succeeded masterfully. Now we have one of the keys we'll need for the heist." Mozu thought she was going to die from shock then and there.

"W-wait, you used me to help with the plan!? What would've happened if I had been caught!?" Mozu asked. Niles' widening grin didn't help her feel much better.

"You would've been executed for sure." Niles casually answered. Mozu  _definitely_  didn't feel better after hearing that. "But, because you didn't know about that beforehand, you performed your task without the stress of the situation. If you do every job without focusing on the stress, your performance is better."

"Well, that doesn't just—" Mozu paused, blinking. "Wait. You're saying that was a lesson too?"

"Yep." Niles laughed heartily, pocketing the key. Mozu had fallen for another one of his tricks, hook line and sinker.

"You're the worst!" Mozu shouted. As angry as she was, she had to admit that she already felt more competent as a thief. His lessons were effective, she'd give him that.

"I won't argue with that." Niles joked. "Alright, training's over for the day. It starts back up tomorrow, same time." He walked away, leaving Mozu feeling anxious. So much could still go wrong. Someone could let something slip, or the day of the heist could come, and they'd get caught. But in the midst of all of that anxiety, she felt something entirely new.

The thrill of a heist. Mozu wanted more.

Sakura

"Hey, big sister?" Sakura asked, looking at Corrin, who was in the middle of a massive bite of her food.

"Momph?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Sakura assumed that she was asking "What?"

"How are you a-always so confident? I've tried so hard to increase my confidence, b-but I always just end up failing at it. But you…you never seem to not be overflowing with confidence. How do you do it?" Sakura had been struggling with her lack of self-confidence for years by this point. She couldn't quite explain why she was always so shy, so self-deprecating. She just…was.

Corrin swallowed her food. "Well, um…" she put a finger to her chin. "That's a tough one. I guess it just started when I was little. I wasn't a good fighter, I didn't understand life on the streets, none of it meshed with me. But, I had to adapt. So one day I just said to myself that I would be brave. Every time something bad or scary was happening, I'd say it again. 'I will be brave.' One day, I didn't need to think about it anymore. I just was."

"Wow, that's really smart!" Sakura exclaimed. She had no idea Corrin could be so profound like that.

"Well, it was either that or get gutted like a fish." Never mind. "But I guess that's what makes you lucky, Sakura. You don't have to do it like I did. You can go at your own pace. So next time something bad is happening, try telling yourself that you'll be brave. Who knows?" Corrin took another bite of her food, winking. "It might just do you some good."

Rinkah

Rinkah wrapped some cloth around the cut on her arm, tying and tightening it. She couldn't let Corrin or Niles worry about her. The cut hurt, but it didn't matter. If it was getting in their way, it wasn't worth bringing up.

She had snuck out of Castle Shirasagi at night, scaling the mountain down to the city below where she used the money she had pocketed over the last couple late-night visits she had made to preemptively rent some horses for the day of the heist. The party to celebrate the arrival of the Nohrian Royal Family would be the perfect distraction to pull it all off. She made sure the horses she rented had the best endurance of the bunch, so they would have the least trouble getting the loot far away from Hoshido.

Of course, as she was heading back she was spotted by one of the people she had stolen from. It was a stupid coincidence that resulted in a stupid chase that ended with her getting this stupid cut. Of course, the man who chased her probably wasn't feeling too great either, considering she left him with a broken wrist. Corrin wouldn't have liked that, but she didn't need to know.

Besides, it's not like he mattered. Only Corrin and Niles mattered. They were the only ones who cared. She had to protect them, to make sure they were safe and worry-free. Even if she had to hide every cut and wound she received. If they weren't happy, she wouldn't be happy. Of course, they wouldn't like it if she said that. They'd always tell her that she needed to start caring about herself. She never understood why.

Leo

The path to Hoshido was rather annoying. Xander had an obnoxious desire to continuously remind his siblings of all the possible dangers they'd face, giving Elise more nightmares than she could count. Camilla couldn't stop talking about how cute she imagined the Hoshidan Princess was. Elise wouldn't stop checking on Kaze, who was disguised as a simple soldier helping escort them. Leo had to practically shout at her to get her to stop endangering the mission.

Then, there were his retainers. "Lord Leo, I've come up with ten potential names for your newest Nosferatu tome!" Odin declared, oblivious to Leo's current migraine. "The first one is my personal favorite; Blood-taker!"

"Odin, I don't have time for this. I have news that I obtained from Iago. Where's—"

"News!? Oh my, what a glorious occasion! Has some dark information encroached upon us?" Odin asked, looking downright ecstatic at just the mere idea of news. Leo never understood how he could be so damn enthusiastic about everything.

"Lord Leo? What's this I hear about news?" Ah, just the man Leo was looking for. He wouldn't have even noticed him, considering he was in the corner of the tent, dutifully dusting away as the tiniest bit of dust.

"There you are, Jakob." Leo said as his silver-haired retainer stood up, turning to face him. "This news pertains to you, in fact. It turns out your intuition was right."

Jakob straightened out his collar. "So Flora and Felicia did flee to Hoshido. And what became of them after that?" Leo wondered whether Jakob's curiosity came from his work relationship or his other relationship.

"It seems that they were employed by the Royal Family. I doubt there was a secret they didn't happily give up." Leo explained, noticing Odin's face light up, likely from the idea of betrayal and schemes and similar dramatic possibilities.

"Indeed." Jakob's mood seemed to have darkened at the mere mention of the sisters. Leo couldn't blame him.

"Jakob, I do hope you won't do anything foolish. Your history with Flora is not an excuse to—"

"Oh, make no mistake, Lord Leo. Flora is worth nothing to me. She lost that worth the second she abandoned her duties and fled from Nohr with her sister. It's as simple as that. And if she's still even somewhat of a decent maid, she'll feel the same way, personal feelings be damned."

Flora

The blue-haired maid felt shivers run down her spine. She shook them off, shuddering. Felicia stopped her sweeping and turned to her sister, having heard her groan in an increasing discomfort. "Is something wrong?"

Flora shook her head. "No. I'm not quite sure what came over me. Perhaps it was just a bad omen."


	9. The Right Way

Corrin

_Corrin was all alone in the hideout. Niles had gone out a few hours ago to nab some food, and per usual, was probably taking his sweet time getting it. She never understood what made him so insistent on getting sidetracked during things like this. Uncle Shura had been out for a few weeks now on a rather large heist, so it had just been the two of them holding down the fort._

_The sound of footsteps echoed nearby, and Corrin grabbed her dagger from the ground, clutching the handle tightly. It could be Uncle Shura. It could be Niles. It could also be someone else. She'd know soon enough which was the case. She walked to the large cloth covering the opening to the hideout, pressing her back against the wall next to it, ready to take whoever was coming by surprise._

_The footsteps were closer now. Then, they stopped, replaced by a knock on the wall. One knock, two knocks, then two more in quick succession. Corrin's grip on the dagger loosened, and a smile formed on her face. "Uncle Shura!" She exclaimed. The cloth was pushed aside as Shura walked in, giving a warm smile._

_"Hey, kiddo. Sorry, the job went on a bit longer than I anticipated." Shura looked around the hideout. "Hey, where's Niles? Out on another 'quick trip'?" Corrin nodded, making the man chuckle. "Ain't that just like him. Guess you're gonna be the first one to meet the new face."_

_"New…" Corrin began to repeat, before finally noticing that Shura wasn't alone. A young girl, likely Corrin's age, stood behind him. Her skin was darker than anyone Corrin had ever seen. Her eyes had an odd look to them. Glazed over and empty, like she wasn't really mentally in the situation. "Who's this?" Corrin asked, looking back up at Shura._

_"Wish I knew." Shura said with a shrug. "I found the poor kid half-dead from starvation in a snowbank on the side of a road when I was headed back from the job. She hasn't said a word, but she's been eating and sleeping, at least."_

_"Uncle Shura…" Corrin glanced back at the girl. "Can we trust her?" She didn't like that look in the girl's eye. It made her wary._

_"Corrin, I know I've taught you to be cautious, but not everyone is gonna be out to kill you. Most people, definitely. But don't be afraid to open up, even if it is just a little. A smart thief knows that there are strangers they can trust. They just have to learn to spot them."_

Ryoma

He had to get to Corrin before the news did. If he didn't, there'd be hell to pay. Ryoma had seen his little sister in some bad moods, but he couldn't even begin to imagine the magnitude of her reaction if she discovered in less favorable conditions the special guest at Castle Shirasagi. As he approached her room, he could hear some sort of noise from inside. He knocked on her door, and the noise almost immediately stopped.

"Come in." Corrin called out from her room. Ryoma opened the door, seeing his sister laying on her bed with her hands held together under her head. She tilted her head and gazed over at Ryoma. "Oh, hey. What's up?" She hadn't found out yet. Ryoma breathed a sigh of relief.

"Corrin, there's something I must tell you." Ryoma began, shutting the door behind him. "Just…promise me you won't do anything rash." Corrin raised an eyebrow, waiting for Ryoma to explain. "I know that your mentor was a survivor of Kohga. I'm not sure how much he told you about his past, but—"

"He didn't say much, but with the information that I've gathered here, I think I've got a pretty good picture of the situation." Corrin interrupted. "His place was destroyed and his people were killed by some monster named Kotaro." Her eyes narrowed. "And judging by how uncharacteristically nervous you are, I'm gonna go ahead and assume he's here. In the castle."

Damnit. "Listen, Corrin, you need to think about this rationally. Your actions will have legitimate, serious effects that will blow back on everyone else. You can not just—"

Corrin interrupted Ryoma yet again. "Yeah, I know. I'm not gonna do anything." That threw Ryoma for a loop. His sister chuckled upon noticing how surprised he was. "What? You're right. Not like killing him would do any good."

"You…you really…" Ryoma found it hard to truly believe Corrin. How could someone as stubborn and blunt as she have no problem swallowing her pride and not attempting to avenge the man who ruined the life of the person who raised her?

"Gee Ryoma, it's great to know just how much confidence you have in me." Corrin sarcastically remarked, her tone bitter.

"No, that's not what I meant!" Ryoma hastily tried to clear things up. The last thing he needed was Corrin believing that he didn't trust her. It had been hard enough getting her to open up already.

"Great. Then if there's nothing else to worry about, you can skedaddle." Corrin made a shooing motion with her hand. Ryoma was so caught up in the moment and his own frustration towards himself that he complied, hesitantly leaving her room and shutting the door behind him. He sighed, putting a hand to his face. How could he have messed that up so badly? At least she seemed genuine about not wanting to harm Kotaro. The man was certainly a monster, but Corrin murdering him or even just attacking him would easily be enough to spark a war between Mokushu and Hoshido.

Corrin

Corrin stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, sighing lazily. Finally, she sat up on her bed. "He's long gone. You can come out now." From under Corrin's bed emerged Kagero, having managed to conceal her presence completely. "How'd it feel to hide from your own lord?" The princess asked teasingly, giving a playful sneer.

"It is by no means the first time. He prefers to not be watched, but I have spent numerous times guarding him without his knowledge." Kagero answered. Corrin found the idea rather creepy. She definitely wouldn't want one of her retainers spying on her.

"So, why'd you tell me about Kotaro?" Corrin asked, dangling her legs over the side of her bed. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate it. I'm glad I had the time to throw a fit before Ryoma arrived. But I know you're not fooled." Her smile faded as she locked eyes with Kagero. "You know I'm going to kill him."

"I'm aware." Kagero closed her eyes, sighing. "That's why I told you. I mean to assist you in dealing with Kotaro. He murdered Saizo's father, you see. He's guilty of far more crimes than just the destruction of Kohga. He's a special kind of scum, one that deserves to die."

"That sounds like Saizo's grudge, not yours." Corrin said, trying to pry into Kagero's motivations. "I get it, ninjas have this weird sense of honor, but if anything you should be helping him."

"Kotaro is highly dangerous. Few men possess the natural talent he holds. Saizo would be in danger that I'm worried he's not ready to handle." Kagero let out another sigh. "With his brother still in danger…"

"Ohhhh, I see." Corrin said with a gasp, a slow grin encroaching on her face. "So either you value my life little enough to risk it so Saizo stays safe, or…" The grin grew wider. "You just care so  _much_  about him that you don't want him put in that kind of danger." The context behind her words was enough to shake even Kagero, who turned to look away.

"Enough with the jests." Kagero's voice went stern and cold. "Do you want my assistance or not?"

"Getting to kill one of the people I hate most  _and_  making you disobey Ryoma's wishes? Hell yeah, I do."

Sakura

It was true that Sakura had a hard time interacting with others, but in reality, there were few people who made her legitimately uncomfortable. Most of the time, it was just her inability to stay calm or prevent her anxiety. But discomfort, a feeling of dread, that was rare for her. Kotaro inspired it in spades.

"Ah, Princess Sakura. As bright and innocent as always, I see." The one-eyed daimyo greeted, having spotted her in the halls. She had thankfully been made aware of his impromptu visit beforehand, but it still sent shivers down her spine to see him in the flesh.

"H-hello Kotaro." Sakura muttered, uncaring whether he actually heard her or not. She turned around and began to walk the other way, hoping to avoid him. Footsteps following behind her told her that her attempt would not work.

"I do apologize for the sudden nature of my visit. I was merely in the area and decided to stop by. With the stories of Hoshido's lost princess returning safe and sound, I had to find out the truth for myself." A strong hand gripped Sakura's arm. "Well, princess? Are the stories true?"

Sakura almost whimpered as Kotaro let go of her arm. She took a deep breath in. She just had to do what Corrin said. She would be brave. She would be brave. She would be brave. Sakura turned to face Kotaro. "I believe a question about such a serious matter should be asked by a daimyo who takes his own position more seriously. After all, it s-seems your sudden appearance speaks more towards your lack of respect for the Royal Family than your curiosity towards Princess Corrin." With that, Sakura turned back around and walked away at a brisk pace. The man did not follow.

When Sakura was sure she was far enough away to not be spotted by Kotaro, she looked down at her trembling hands, feeling excitement well up inside of her. She had actually done it! She had spoken up to that dastard Kotaro for the first time in her life. She was still terrified, but the terror was wrapped around a thrill that made her heart leap with joy. She could be brave. No, she  _would_  be brave. She just needed to keep practicing.

Corrin

Night had fallen upon Castle Shirasagi. Despite her time in Hoshido, Corrin still felt far more awake and at-home when the moon was high in the sky. If there was anything that Hoshido undoubtedly had better than Nohr, it was its night sky. Every star was illuminated so vividly, and the moonlight illuminated everything with its pale glow. She could spend hours just gazing at the sky.

But that wasn't what she was here to do. Corrin turned her gaze away from the night sky and towards Kagero. The two of them were dressed in attire meant to hide their identities, with heavy cloth covering most of their faces and their hair. The rest of their clothes were similar to that of a Hoshidan ninja. Corrin felt somewhat odd in the clothing but had to admit that it was incredibly functional.

For some reason, likely to satiate his own paranoia, Kotaro had chosen to stay in the capital city rather than Shirasagi itself. Kagero had easily obtained the location of the safehouse he was staying in. The two stood on the top of a building next to it, gazing down at the ninjas guarding the exterior. "I see two at the front door, one on the roof, and another one in the back. None inside, I believe." Kagero said.

Corrin let out a chuckle. "Cocky bastard, isn't he? If everything goes right, the guards won't matter anyway. I'll take the roof. You get the one in back." Corrin didn't wait for Kagero to confirm the plan, instead stepping back and then breaking into a sprint, leaping off the rooftop. She stretched her hands out towards a nearby window, managing to grip on and avoid plummeting to the ground below. She inhaled sharply and hoisted herself up, standing on the windowsill. She then jumped up so she was grabbing the edge of the roof.

Corrin hoisted herself up once again, seeing the ninja with his back turned to her. He wasn't guilty of the same crimes Kotaro was; there was no need to kill him. So, Corrin ran up to him, altering him to her presence. He turned around, not yet ready to block her incoming strike. She landed a punch to his temple, knocking him out in one blow. As he fell back, threatening to plummet off the roof, she grabbed him by his shirt, hoisting him back and setting him gently on the rooftop.

_"One blow to the temple, if aimed right and delivered with enough force, can render someone unconscious with little effort."_

_"Wow, that's amazing! Uncle Shura, can you show me how?"_

Damn Kotaro. Corrin remembered all the nights she'd hear Uncle Shura mumbling in his sleep, begging someone to stop. He hid the pain he felt to the best of his ability, but Corrin still knew that he had to have suffered greatly. And for what? A greedy man's blind ambition. She slipped back down to the window, entering the second floor of the safehouse through there. The inside was surprisingly decadent, the floor painted a scarlet red with candles lining the sides that illuminated the hallway. She slowly crept through, taking note of the creaky floor and lightening her footsteps to accommodate.

As Corrin rounded a corner, a figure stood in front of her. She grabbed her dagger from the sash on her outfit, only for the figure to grab her wrist. She realized that it was Kagero. She let go of the dagger and moved her hand away from her sash as the woman motioned down the hall where she had come from. He must've been down that way.

Corrin and Kagero headed down the hall, passing by another unconscious guard on the way that Kagero must have taken care of. Eventually, the two of them stood in front of an innocuous-looking door. Kagero pressed her back against the wall on one side of it whilst Corrin did the same for the other. Kagero slowly reached out for the handle and ever so gently pulled the door to the side.

Peering into the room, Corrin saw that the layout was incredibly bare. All that was there was a simple bed and a tiny window that shone a small amount of moonlight in, casting its rays down on Kotaro. His chest heaved up and down as he slept on the bed, seemingly asleep. Corrin knew better than to take possibilities like that for granted. As she and Kagero stepped in, they made sure not to potentially awake him and kept their movements incredibly slow and deathly silent. As Corrin watched Kotaro sleep away, she noticed just how exhausted he looked.

_"Uncle Shura?"_

_"Hm? What is it?"_

_"Last night, you…you were talking in your sleep. You kept telling someone to leave you be. Are you okay?"_

_"Corrin, I…disregard that. It was a nightmare, nothing more."_

_"You're a really bad liar, Uncle Shura."_

_"Damn, was I that obvious? I guess I'm just getting old. Or maybe you're just getting too clever for your own good. I just had some bad memories resurface, that's all."_

_"Memories of what? What were you remembering?"_

_"I take back what I said about you getting clever. You should know better than to pry."_

_"But you've been doing this every night for weeks! I just…I don't want you to be hurting. I wanna help."_

_"Corrin. You need to understand that not every problem can be solved. Even if I did what I think would make me happy, even if I think it would stop my nightmares, it may not. The kind of memories I have are never going to go away. The man that caused them…"_

_"Man? What man?"_

_"Listen to me, Corrin. If I ever encountered that man again, I would kill him. Not because it would stop my pain, but because I wouldn't be able to stop myself. I'd lose my focus, my clarity. But death for a man like him would simply be a mercy. Men like him…they deserve to watch their ambitions crumble."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Right. I suppose it wouldn't make much sense to you. Just know that…the most straightforward answer, the answer that seems like it should be the best way, may not necessarily be the right one."_

Corrin stopped. Was that what Shura had meant, all those years ago? Was he referring to Kotaro? She thought Shura would be proud of her if she did this. She thought he'd finally be able to find the peace he deserved, the peace she wanted him to have. But…what if he didn't? What would killing Kotaro accomplish? If anything, death was a mercy.

Corrin put a hand out in front of Kagero, confusing the ninja. She couldn't do this. She faced her, shaking her head. Kagero only grew more perplexed, but the look in Corrin's eyes spoke volumes.  _This isn't the right way._  Kagero looked back at Kotaro, and Corrin noticed her hands trembling ever so slightly.

A few moments later, Kagero's hands went still. She closed her eyes and began to turn around. Corrin looked at Kotaro one more time, taking a deep breath. It was then, with her breath held in, that she heard it. Footsteps. She whipped around just in time to see Kagero, knife in hand, strike away a blow from an attacker. Sparks flew as the attacker stepped back, holding a dagger in hand. He didn't look like one of Kotaro's ninjas. He had black cloth covering his forehead and hair, with blue cloth covering his nose and mouth. It wasn't that far off from the disguises that Corrin and Kagero were wearing. His gauntlets bore curved blades that many Hoshidan Ninjas wore, designed to catch and break blades. The rest of his outfit was tight-fitting, likely to allow for movement, but cloth made it harder to spot and predict his more subtle movements.

The man threw his dagger, sending it right past Corrin and Kagero. There was no way someone like that would miss an attack so close. Unless…Corrin heard a cry of pain from behind them. He was going after Kotaro! Corrin rushed at the man, attempting to grab his wrists so she could break them. Instead, he brought them back, slashing his arms down and cutting through her clothing with the blades on his gauntlet, tearing into her skin. She stepped back, gasping in pain.

Kagero was the next to strike, sending a kick towards the man's abdomen. He caught it with surprising ease and accuracy, shoving it away and forcing Kagero to stop her assault in order to recover her balance. With the two of them recovering, the man rushed right past and towards the now-awake Kotaro, who was holding a dagger of his own.

"You think you can kill me? That foolish little notion alone proves how idiotic you are!" Kotaro shouted as the man charged, drawing a katana from his side. He swung, Kotaro sidestepping out of the way and swiping at him. The man parried away the swing with his katana, using his offhand to grab a bag that was hanging from his belt. He tossed it into the air and cut it open with his blade, sending a dusty powder right into Kotaro's face. The man roared, covering his eyes as he stumbled back.

Corrin ran at the mystery man, attempting to sweep his legs out from under him with a kick. He jumped up and landed down on her leg, not breaking or fracturing any bones, but leaving Corrin unbalanced, tumbling to the ground. Kagero recovered her footing just in time to see the man open a small pouch on his belt, pulling two rocks out from within. The smell was the next thing to hit her. A faint scent of charcoal.

The powder that was thrown in Kotaro's face wasn't a simple dust. It was blasting powder. "NO!" Kagero cried out, but it was too late. The man pressed the flint and steel in his hands against Kotaro's face and struck them together.

The resulting blaze was quick and ruthless, covering Kotaro's face as the attacker stepped pack, pocketing the flint and steel. Kagero and Corrin were too stunned to stop the man from making a speedy getaway out of the room. "Damnit!" Corrin grunted, standing up as Kotaro screamed in agony. The flames spread down to his body, engulfing him in almost no time at all. Kagero grabbed the sheets on Kotaro's bed, wrapping them over his body in an attempt to snuff out the flames, but all they did was spread to the sheets themselves. The two of them were forced to watch as Kotaro wailed in anguish, succumbing to the fire.

Within an hour, the entire safehouse was up in flames. Corrin and Kagero were long gone.

Ryoma

"It wasn't me." That was the first thing Corrin said when Ryoma had entered her room. He didn't even need to say anything to provoke it.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe a word of that? Of any of it?" Ryoma tried his best to hide his rage. "I trusted you Corrin, and you took that trust and—"

"IT WASN'T ME!" Corrin shouted, silencing Ryoma. She didn't seem furious. She just seemed…confused. "I was going to do it. I was  _right there_ , at his bedside, ready to finish him off. I just…I couldn't go through with it. Someone else attacked him, Ryoma. I don't know who, but they were talented, a-and skilled."

"A likely story, Corrin." Ryoma didn't believe a word of it. She was lying to him. And if she had lied so easily, so painlessly about this, he had no idea what else she had lied to him about. How could he trust her on anything anymore?

"It's true, my lord." A voice from behind Ryoma caught him off-guard. Turning around, there Kagero was. "I was with her, that night. I planned to assist her with her mission. But she stopped. She was not the one to kill Kotaro."

"Kagero, you…you helped her!?" Ryoma felt like he was about to scream at the two of them. "You went behind my back and…"

"And I am ready to accept whatever punishment you may have for my betrayal of your trust. However, I beg of you to trust me now when I say that your sister was not the one who murdered Kotaro."

Ryoma put his fingers to his temple. It was all too much to deal with. Even if Kagero had planned this, he knew exactly why she would. And despite doing it, he did still trust her at the end of the day. He turned back to face Corrin. "The Nohrian Royal Family will arrive tonight. Tomorrow night, there will be a gala to welcome them. Once that is over, we will discuss this in more detail." With that, he stepped out of Corrin's room, shutting the door behind him.

Leo

They had finally arrived. Castle Shirasagi could be seen far above on its mountain, seeming to even mingle with the clouds. It was as if it was built to become one with the heavens above. He always found it annoying how Hoshidans viewed royalty in legend as holy figures, above common people. Castle Krakenburg was built into the ground for a reason. Nohr was of the earth, of the land. They succeeded in spite of the heavens, not because of them.

"Kaze's left." Elise walked up next to Leo, staring up at Castle Shirasagi with him. "He's probably already going up the mountain." She seemed sad to say it. Leo didn't agree with the sentiment, but he understood it coming from her.

"Good. That means the first part of our mission is complete. Now we must proceed with diplomacy with Hoshido." Leo hadn't forgotten about Hans, nor the blade that sat at his side. The magical barrier at Hoshido was no bluff; Leo had that proven to him when he and everyone else crossed, immediately unable to even conjure up the idea of harming the Hoshidan Royal Family. Despite this, he worried Hans was up to something dangerous.

Leo wasn't quite sure what the idea of Nohr going to war with Hoshido sparked inside of him. Ambition was the Nohrian way, but many would argue his father had taken that ambition to an extreme. Leo wasn't fond of sacrifice and toil, all to satisfy ambition for ambition's sake. He was unsure if his siblings felt the same way. But if there truly was something involving Hans that threatened to put Queen Mikoto in danger, he would need to figure out what it was.

Before it was too late.


	10. Nohrian

Leo

Castle Shirasagi was like a maze. Every corridor seemed identical, and the entire building was confusingly laid out. It wasn't like he could ask for directions; every servant seemed scared to death just being near him, and anybody above their station were intent on keeping their pride by not associating with a Nohrian Royal. Leo was no fool; he understood perfectly well the reputation Nohr carried in Hoshido.

Now, where in blazes was Elise's room? He was supposed to wake her up, but that seemed unlikely when he couldn't figure out how to navigate around this damn—

Leo's thoughts were whacked out of focus as he ran right into someone, grunting in pain as their foreheads collided. He stumbled back, trying to keep himself balanced. "Great, another addition to my headache…" Leo grumbled, rubbing his forehead.

"You wanna say that again? I'll give you an even stronger headache if you don't shut it." The girl in front of him threatened. That caught Leo's attention. Not only was she talking to him, which was a first, but she was  _threatening him_. He finally really looked at the girl for the first time. "Oh, shit." Her eyes widened as she herself got a good look at Leo. "You're one of those Nohrian Royals."

"And you are?" Leo asked, giving her a harsh glare. It seemed to snap her out of her shock, and she sent a glare of her own right back at him.

"I'm hurt you don't know who I am. I was sure daddy dearest would tell you and your siblings all about the girl he left for dead after murdering her father. Maybe over dinner? Ooh, or perhaps as a bedtime story." It was like needles were striking Leo with every word she spoke. The sheer venom in her words told him that she wasn't lying. The girl in front of him was none other than Princess Corrin.

"Ah, Princess Corrin. A pleasure to meet you at last." Leo tried to keep his composure as he greeted himself. A diplomatic mission would not work if he couldn't get the most important voice in Shirasagi at the time on his side.

"Cut the shit." Corrin said dismissively. It was startling to hear a princess speak so vulgarly and callously, but if the rumors of her upbringing were true, it was only natural. "What do you want? You look like a lost dog."

Leo cleared his throat, giving himself a moment to respond. "Ah, so you noticed my current predicament. I must admit, Castle Shirasagi is quite the labyrinth. Perhaps you know where the rooms my siblings are in are located? I'm supposed to be making sure my sister Elise is awake."

"…Elise, you say?" An unsettling grin formed on Corrin's lips. "Alright, I'll take you there. Follow me." She turned around and began walking down the hallway. Despite her strange response, Leo doubted he had any better options than to hope she was taking him where he needed to go. After a few minutes, the two arrived at the entrance to what Leo presumed was Elise's room. "Well? She should be in there."

Leo walked past Corrin and knocked on Elise's door. "Huh? Camilla, is that you?" Elise called out from inside. He breathed a sigh of relief. It was good to know that he wasn't being tricked by Corrin. A few seconds later, the door slid open, Elise standing behind it and rubbing her eyes, still in a nightgown with her hair undone. A rare look for her. "Oh, hey Leo. What's…" Her gaze drifted over to Corrin. "…up…" Before Leo could say anything, she slammed the door shut.

Elise

This could not be happening. There was no way that she just saw Corrin standing next to her brother. "Elise? What's the matter?" Leo called out from the other side of the door. Elise took a deep breath, opening the door just a crack to peer out. The two pairs of eyes locked right onto her. She slammed it back shut, feeling her heart beat fast and hard. That was Corrin, no doubt about it. What in the world was she doing here!?

A loud guffaw could be heard from the other side of the door. It definitely didn't belong to Leo. "Oh man, the look on her face! Priceless!" Elise felt heat rising in her cheeks as a blush formed. "Oh, right. We've met before. Forgot to mention that."

"Elise failed to mention meeting the lost Princess of Hoshido." As Leo said that, Elise felt like she was going to keel over and die then and there. She was the lost princess that Elise had heard about. It was impossible. She opened the door one more time.

"Y-you'd better start explaining Corrin, and fast!" Elise shouted with all of the strength and intimidation she could muster in her embarrassed state.

Mozu

Niles laid out a sheet of parchment on the ground in Corrin's room, allowing Rinkah and Mozu to look over it. "Study it, memorize it. Tonight we're gonna act on that memory." Niles instructed. It was a floor plan of Castle Shirasagi, detailing the layouts and connecting elements of each part of the main building. Mozu's eyes darted across the parchment, noticing how it seemed to be rather hastily scrawled out.

"You made this, Niles?" Mozu asked in amazement. Niles nodded almost dismissively, not even lifting his head up to look at her, too busy scanning it over. "That's amazing! I never could have made something like this…"

"I nearly got caught too many times to count when I was transcribing, so I'm glad you think that." Niles gruffly remarked. "Lemme know if anything seems inaccurate. We gotta make as much go right as we can. The less complications, the better."

Mozu couldn't think of anything in the floor plan that seemed wrong, at least to her knowledge. As she kept looking over it and the route that Niles had drawn out, she noticed one key point that sent her anxiety through the roof. "Um…Niles? It says here that we have to jump off a roof. That's…not true, right?"

"No, it's not. We actually rappel off a roof." Niles nonchalantly answered, much to Mozu's horror. She noticed a grin form on his face. "What's wrong? Got butterflies in your stomach? I hope you know it's too late to back out from this."

"Who said anything about backing out!?" Mozu fired back. She refused to waste the chance that Corrin had given her. Even if it was going to be fraught with danger, even if what she was doing may not necessarily have been the right thing, she had to do it.

Niles finally looked up at Mozu, staring her in the eyes as his grin turned into a full-fledged smile. "Now that's the spirit. Keep that up and maybe even Rinkah will warm up to you." The silent girl gave an annoyed grumble in response. Mozu couldn't help but giggle. Even if she was doing this for Corrin, and to ensure her own survival, it helped that Niles and Rinkah were nice people.

Corrin

"Corrin, I…" Elise stared at the ground, nervously running her hands through her undone hair. "Gosh, I never realized." Corrin had filled Elise and Leo in on the details of her livelihood as a thief, and how she had wound up on the streets in the first place. She only realized after she was done, when she looked at Elise and saw the overflowing guilt in the girl's eyes, that she had been too callous.

"Hey, don't worry about it. It's not your fault I got dealt a shitty hand. It's your scumbag dad's fault." Corrin said with a shrug of her shoulders. Elise only looked more distraught. Corrin cursed herself mentally as she realized that Elise actually respected her father. And if Leo's annoyed expression was anything to go by, he did too.

"Corrin? Do you still hate me? You know, for lying to you?" Elise asked, taking Corrin and Leo by surprise. Corrin stopped to ponder the question. In truth, she hadn't given it much thought, since everything else had been eating up her time. In the moment, when she saw Elise, the simple flower girl who she regarded as a little sister of sorts wearing the garb of Nohrian nobility, she was enraged. But after all that time, after everything she herself had gone through, she found it hard to summon those feelings again.

"No. I don't think I do." Corrin answered, much to Elise's relief. Leo seemed to also be glad to hear that Corrin held no ill will towards the Nohrian Princess. "Though I'm disappointed that I won't get to see you in your flower girl outfit. It was cute." Corrin winked, stretching her arms out. "Well, that was a fun talk. I need to go find my older brother; I was supposed to talk to him an hour ago." She got up and casually left Elise's room, briefly glancing back at the two royals and basking in their surprised faces.

"Alright Ryoma, where are you…" Corrin muttered to herself, wandering the castle halls. If she remembered correctly, he was in the training grounds at this time of day. Or was he supposed to be in his room? She rubbed her head, wracking her brain in an attempt to remember where he told her to find him. Of course, this was all under the assumption that he would still be there an hour after the fact.

It was incredibly disappointing for Corrin, knowing that she wouldn't be able to take part in the heist. Her presence at the gala was mandatory, and even if she skipped it regardless (a tempting thought), she'd put the others at more risk of being discovered. She had to play the part of princess, just for one more night. Once the gala was over, she would escape the castle. She'd finally be rid of it all.

Corrin was so busy thinking about the heist that she managed to bump into  _another_  person. Their heads collided and Corrin cried out in pain, falling down. "Damnit! I swear, if I run into one more person I'm gonna scream!"

"My sincerest apologies! Here, let me help you up." Corrin looked up at the man she had bumped into. He must've been around her age, judging by his appearance. His amber eyes shone brilliantly, complimenting his short blonde hair. His armor, a classic Nohrian black, had purple cloth lining it, a color that complimented it well. He held out a hand to her.

"Thanks." Corrin said, though she didn't accept his hand, instead getting up on her own. "Are you the other Nohrian prince? Xander, was it? You certainly look similar to Leo."

The man seemed shocked at the mere idea, his eyes widening. "Oh, no! Though I'm flattered you would compare me to Lord Xander. No, I'm merely one of his retainers." He gave a brief bow. "Siegbert. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss…"

"Corrin."

"Oh, my! You're the Princess of Hoshido that's been attracting so much attention. I hardly recognized you." Siegbert paused, seemingly regretful of his choice of words.

"Hardly recognized me?" Corrin asked, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't realize you had a reference point to go off of."

"Ah, no! I mean to say that you're, ah…" Siegbert paused, likely trying to think of the correct words to say. Corrin was  _very_  interested in what his response would be, considering it would end up leading to her either begrudgingly accepting his answer or punching him in the face. She could get away with that, right? "You're just more beautiful than the descriptions stated."

Siegbert regretted saying that. That was made evident when his face turned red, his mouth opening slightly as he let out a few embarrassed breaths. Corrin smiled. "Oh, is that so? I should find whoever wrote my description and give them a piece of my mind. Thank you for the compliment, though." Siegbert only grew more flustered, trying his best to look presentable in spite of the fact. It was adorable. "Well, if that's all, I'll just leave."

"Wait!" Siegbert stammered out. "There is…something else I must say." The change in Siegbert's tone was noticeable. The embarrassment had vanished, replace with a solemn air to him that made Corrin a tad bit nervous. "You…" He stopped. "Never mind. It was nothing." With that, he briskly walked past her.

"Hey, wait!" Corrin turned around, calling after him, but he kept walking. She debated pursuing him, but eventually decided against it. She wasn't quite sure what to make of the Nohrian. He seemed like one of those formal types who had no clue how to function outside of said formality. At the same time, that look in his eyes when he was about to say something to her…she couldn't quite pin down what it reminded her of.

Kagero

"Saizo."

"Kaze." The two brothers regarded eachother with a lack of emotion, facing eachother in one of the castle gardens. Kagero watched silently, not wishing to interrupt their reunion. After a few more seconds of silence, Kaze approached his brother, wrapping his arms around him. The embrace lacked tears or substantial time to it, but it was enough to express any emotion he needed it to.

"I've returned." Kaze stated. Kagero almost found it amusing how formal the two brothers were, even in a moment as emotional as this one. On the other hand, it also frustrated her how they seemed so inept at expression emotions that weren't negative.

"Why was it that the letter sent by the Nohrian Royal Family contained your name encoded within?" Kagero asked, seeing that the emotion was subsiding and recognizing that information was needed. Kaze explained the situation behind his being stranded in Nohr, and how he was granted mercy by Princess Elise and Prince Leo.

"You're certain it wasn't just a trap, designed to gain some sort of upper hand over Hoshido?" Saizo asked, as cautious as ever. Kaze shook his head. "Very well. I trust your judgement on this." The red-haired ninja paused, closing his eye. "It's…good to see you again, Kaze. If you had perished in Nohr, I'm not sure how I would have taken the news."

"It was not my time to die, Saizo. I'll know when that time comes. Until then, I'll keep fighting for Hoshido." Kaze explained. Saizo responded with a simple nod. The three ninjas parted ways. None of them needed to express any more emotion. They all knew eachother well enough to understand what they were feeling.

Hans

Xander's retainer was beginning to piss Hans off. The girl with the multi-colored hair seemed intent on acting like a child as often as possible, no matter ill-suited for the situation her behavior was. "Why can't we kill them now!?" She'd whine. "Can't I just stab somebody already!?" She'd groan. If she didn't stop, Hans wasn't sure if he'd be able to hold himself back from slitting her throat to shut her up.

"Shut it, for five minutes!" Hans exclaimed to the currently moping Peri, who was expressing her frustration after he prevented her from attacking a Hoshidan servant. "You are fully aware of why we're here. You know your orders, you aren't an idiot. Even if you do act like one. So why, oh why, are you so intent on mucking everything up!?"

"Because, it's so boring here!" Peri whined, looking up at the ceiling. "Everything here is all peaceful and bright and happy and I just hate it! I hate it I hate it I hate it!" Hans definitely felt like he was a few seconds away from knocking the girl senseless.

"You have  _hours_  until all the boredom goes away. Be patient or I'll shut you up for good." Hans threatened. Peri's childlike anger began to fade.

"Be careful what you say, Hans. Garon only needs one of us to kill all those people. I'm not the only one who's expendable." Hans froze as Peri flashed a sadistic grin. "I'm just kidding, Hans! As long as you were 'just kidding' too. You were only kidding, right?"

"…Right." Hans grumbled. Damn this crazy girl. He'd be the death of her, probably literally.


	11. Mother

Ryoma

There he was, standing in the grand ballroom, talking with his siblings. Xander, Crown Prince of Nohr. It was almost startling to see how casual he acted around his brother and sisters, considering his and Nohr’s bleak reputation. Regardless, Xander could already tell that he wasn’t particularly fond of the man. Next to him stood Corrin, dressed in her usual outfit. It was one of the few times she faced no opposition towards it, considering that wearing armor in times like this was seen as a symbol of strength and might. It explained why the Nohrians did the same.

Corrin took a rather large bite of a rice dish. “Ya know, Elish’s awright.” She commented, her mouth still full. Ryoma couldn’t even muster up the strength to be annoyed by his sister’s less-than-refined behavior. He eventually decided it was just similar to how Hinoka would refuse to act like a “proper princess”. Corrin swallowed her bite. “Though, I don’t like the other sister. She keeps giving me these weird looks.” As if on cue, Princess Camilla glanced over, her one eye not covered by her hair narrowing as she gave a rather odd smile. Corrin shuddered. “I hope that’s not her attempting to hit on me.”

“She’s got some rather strong maternal instincts if I remember correctly.” Ryoma explained, finding his sister’s discomfort amusing. “Perhaps that’s just what she’s expressing?” It sounded like the more reasonable explanation to him, at least. Corrin didn’t seem too convinced.

“So she’s either expressing her warped maternal habits on a girl she just met, or she’s hitting on the girl who almost got murdered by her dad. I’m not sure which sounds less weird.” Ryoma was glad the Nohrian siblings were out of earshot; he couldn’t have imagined the repercussions if Corrin had said something like that in front of Princess Camilla.

“Corrin, listen. Your wit never fails to…liven up a conversation.” Ryoma was trying to figure out a nice way to make his point to his sister. “However, it would be for the best if you toned it down, just for the Gala.” He smiled at Corrin, hoping his appeal would work.

Corrin grinned, looking back at Ryoma. “Not a chance.” She laughed, and Ryoma eventually found himself laughing as well. Looking back, he realized that he had felt less constricted since Corrin had arrived. With her acting so crass and rude, he felt as if it gave him a reason to act somewhat less proper so often. He had smiled more often, spent more time with his siblings. He reminded himself to thank Corrin for it later.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.” A voice spoke, causing Ryoma and Corrin to stop laughing. In front of them was Xander, looking rather stern despite the casual nature of the gala. “I thought it best to introduce myself formally. Ryoma and I met when I arrived, though we’ve yet to properly meet.” He said to Corrin. Ryoma would have to make sure the conversation didn’t go sour.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Corrin, though you already knew that.” The princess greeted. Xander responded in kind before holding out a hand to shake. Corrin, the ever-masterful diplomat, refused to give his attempt at a handshake the time of day. Xander didn’t seem to mind too much. “My sister Elise tells me you’ve already met with her and Leo.”

“Oh yeah. Elise and I go way back.” Corrin said, stretching one of her arms. “I’m glad she and I could get over that time when I robbed her.”

“I’m…aware, of your previous livelihood.” Xander sounded uncomfortable just talking about it. “I’m surprised you’re so casual about it. I assumed your brother would reprimand you for your past actions.” Ryoma almost spoke out, but he knew he shouldn’t intrude unless things grew too hectic.

“Oh no, he understands the position I was in. Steal to survive and all that. Not many other options when the Nohrian royal family can’t run their country since they’re too busy suppressing rebellions started because people don’t like how they can’t run their country.” Damnit, Corrin…

“You’re certainly one to talk about the correct behavior that a member of a royal family should display. From what I’ve heard, you seem to lack any semblance of proper behavior.” Xander shot back.

“Sorry about that. If only I had been taught that kind of behavior when I was little. If only I didn’t grow up on the streets. If only your monster of a father hadn’t—”

“Corrin, that’s enough.” Ryoma interrupted. He couldn’t let this growing argument get any worse. His sister tried to interject. “Corrin. No more.” He said firmly, stopping her. She turned her gaze away, her eyes narrow.

“Whatever. If you need me, I’ll be wherever all the good alcohol is.” Corrin grumbled, storming off. Ryoma considered saying something to her but decided against it. He glanced over at Xander, only giving a simple nod before walking away himself. He was fully aware of the glare that Xander cast at him as he left.

Mozu

A gentle breeze tickled against Mozu’s cheek as she stood on one of the sloped roofs of Castle Shirasagi. She hunched herself over in an attempt to make herself less visible, noticing that Niles and Rinkah were doing the same. The clouds hiding the moon were both helpful and hindering, providing more darkness that cloaked their movements but adversely made their visibility significantly reduced. She was just grateful that there were plenty of lights shining through open windows that gave her a degree of decent vision.

The three of them were dressed in pitch-black cloaks, with hoods over their heads in order to keep their identities hidden to any potential onlookers. Niles carried a backpack filled with the necessary equipment for the heist, though he didn’t seem to mind the extra weight too much. They were each armed with just a standard dagger aside from Rinkah, who also had a blunt club at her side.

Niles grabbed a rope from his backpack, tying it to the edge of the slanted roof and slowly feeding it down the face of the wall until it stopped in front of a windowsill. He gave it a few tugs, testing its sturdiness. After confirming it wasn’t about to break, he nodded to Rinkah, who took the rope in her hands and slowly maneuvered herself over the edge of the roof, planting her feet on the wall. Still holding on, she began to move her grip further down, walking down the wall and towards the window.

Mozu was so focused on watching Rinkah descend that she almost didn’t notice Niles motioning towards her, indicating it was her turn. She had still yet to properly get over the prospect of rappelling down the wall, but she knew she’d have to do it regardless. She took the rope in her hands and approached the edge of the roof. A deep breath in…a deep breath out…she was ready. With shaky legs, Mozu stepped over the edge of the roof.

Flora

Manage the foods, make sure they’re stocked up. Clean up any messes that don’t require you to get in the way of anyone. Flora’s job was simple. Why did he have to come in and muck everything up?

“Flora.” He stood in front of her, silver hair controlled by a single ponytail. It was immaculately presentable, just like the rest of his appearance. He always had an obsession with being perfect at everything he could be.

“Jakob.” Flora responded back, giving the same cold tone that he had given her. Of course, he had to be here. It had to be _him_ who interrupted her work. “I certainly didn’t expect you to be here, tonight.”

“I can imagine so. After all, you were unaware of my recent change in status. I now serve as one of Lord Leo’s personal retainers.” He sounded so damned smug behind his official tone. It drove her mad just having to listen to him.

“I’m sure you must be giddy just saying it.” Flora’s voice had its own bite to it, one that was completely intentional. “You never were one to turn down the chance to pursue your own ambitions, no matter how short-sighted they were.”

“And you were never one to shirk responsibility. If you can change, perhaps I can as well.”

“What do you want?” Flora asked, more of the venom showing in her voice. Jakob merely gave her one of his sickeningly smug grins.

“Why, just a simple dance, if you aren’t too busy. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind a break from your work to enjoy a few minutes of the gala.” He paused, letting Flora notice the music playing. A tango. It always was her favorite. Flora would have loved nothing more than to rebuke his offer entirely, but her sense of etiquette prevented her from doing so. Begrudgingly she approached, letting Jakob put one hand on her waist, his other hand holding onto hers. She grabbed his arm as the music played. “I assume you remember the steps?”

“Naturally.” Flora answered. They looked eachother in the eyes, both giving an unflinching gaze as they began, stepping in tandem with the music and their own footsteps. “What about you?”

“How could I forget?” Jakob asked. “Not after we danced so many times.” The violins playing punctuated their every step, their every movement and turn. “I merely asked because it seems you’ve become rather forgetful of a few things. Your responsibility, for example.”

“Don’t play dumb, Jakob. You’re fully aware of why Felicia and I left Nohr.” A quick spin interrupted her. “We would never have survived after the mistake we made.” How dare he accuse her of being in the wrong? She was stuck with an impossible choice, and the only reason she could make it was because she had an option that would keep her sister safe.

“Perhaps. It seems you were too cowardly to stay and find out for yourself.” Jakob insulted, letting her lean back before pulling her back up so she was standing straight. “I could have helped ensure your safety. I was already trusted by Lord Leo, I could have pulled strings.” The insult was gone, replaced with what sounded like worry. Flora knew better, however. She knew he would never care.

“And risk losing the chance to rise in your position? Oh, I’m sure you would have followed through.” The music was growing more intense, likely building up to a lull. “Even if you had, it wouldn’t have been enough to save us.”

“It was enough to save your people.” The lull hit as the music calmed down, leaving only a singular viola playing a suspenseful tune. Flora felt her heart try to leap out of her throat. Jakob didn’t fail to notice her surprise. “Not a single member of the Ice Tribe was harmed. My position ensured I had the power to make that happen. Perhaps my ambition isn’t truly as abhorrent as you believe.”

“Jakob, you…” Why would he do it? Why would he protect her people? There was nothing in it for him, but he did it anyways. That is, unless…no. There was nothing left between them. Nothing but malice and anger. The music picked back up, and their tango resumed.

“They didn’t need to be punished for your own mistakes. I merely expressed that to someone who was able to do something about the fact.” Flora felt fury once again return to her. How _dare_ he try and spin this so she looked like the villain!? Before she could answer, Jakob stopped. In her frustration, she hadn’t even noticed that the music had stopped. “Give Felicia my regards. Goodness knows the poor girl’s probably still anxious about the whole ordeal.” And with that, he was walking away.

Flora felt her hands ball up into fists. That slimy, two-faced, smug, arrogant…Gods, why did she have to fall for him? Why did he have to fall for her? As Jakob continued walking away, he didn’t even look back once. If he had, perhaps he would’ve noticed the tears going down Flora’s face. Perhaps he would’ve noticed her eventually follow after him.

Niles

Alright, so far so good. Anybody who had spotted the trio had been swiftly knocked unconscious and dragged somewhere out of sight where they wouldn’t be able to let anybody else know. They had already made it to the corridor leading to the Royal Treasury. All that was standing in their way were the guards standing in front of the doors. Niles peeked from the corridor, moving his head away before they could spot him. He turned back to look at Mozu and Rinkah. There was no way none of them would be noticed. Although, who said being noticed wasn’t a good thing?

After the three formulated a plan, Mozu walked out from hiding with her hood down, her shy and meek usual self. “E-excuse me?” Mozu asked as the guards stood alert, ready to draw their weapons. It was a good thing her knife was hidden beneath her cloak. “I’m so sorry, I got lost and I can’t figure out which way it is to the gala…”

One of the guards cautiously approached Mozu, untrusting but ready to help in case she truly was just a lost girl. Once he got close enough, Mozu shifted her weight and slammed into him, enough to knock him to the ground thanks to his lack of preparedness. The other guard drew his katana as Mozu grabbed the fallen guard’s blade, raising it. Rinkah ran out, drawing her club and swiping at the guard who was still standing. It was a solid blow to the head, knocking him unconscious. Just as Mozu stopped to breathe, the guard she had tackled grabbed her, having recovered when she wasn’t looking. He wrapped his arms around her throat, beginning to choke her as she tried to pull his hands away.

Rinkah charged at the two, grabbing the man’s arms and forcing them apart, allowing Mozu to escape from his grasp, choking and gasping. Rinkah quickly followed up with a blow to the head, leaving him out cold. Niles emerged from his hiding spot, grinning. “Rinkah, hide the bodies. Mozu, check them for keys. If you don’t find any, pick the doors. Use what I taught you.”

“Where are you going?” Mozu asked as Niles began to turn away. He stopped, looking back at her.

“I’ve gotta secure our escape route. Shouldn’t be too much trouble, so long as nothing in the plan has changed too heavily.” Mozu and Rinkah nodded. Niles turned back and headed down the halls, making sure to avoid being spotted whenever possible.

Just as Niles thought he was going to be able to make it out of the castle without being detected, he felt a pair of eyes on him. Looking to his side, he spotted the blue-haired maid, Flora, staring right at him. She wasn’t stupid, she knew he wasn’t supposed to be there. Of course, she wasn’t exactly in a great position either, considering that there was also a silver-haired man who, up to that point, she had been kissing rather passionately with her back against the wall. It was enough to make Niles give a lecherous grin. “Hey, I won’t tell if you don’t.” He said, holding a finger to his lips.

Niles stifled a chuckle as Flora stepped away from the man, straightening out the skirt in her uniform and fixing up her hair. She cleared her throat, walking away and leaving the man alone, glaring daggers at the thief. This time he couldn’t hide his chuckle as he walked away, stepping outside of the castle.

Felicia

It was hard not to hear the sound of various items bumping against eachother coming from down the hall. Felicia, who was busy mopping the floors, let her curiosity get the better of her, walking down the hallway and towards the sound, still clutching her mop. As she got closer, the sound seemed to suddenly stop. Despite the alarms it set off in her mind, she continued walking down, eventually turning a corner.

She was almost immediately grabbed and slammed against a wall, feeling the cold blade of a knife press gently against the back of her neck. “Rinkah, don’t!” A voice cried out. Felicia didn’t move, understanding that Rinkah would have no problem killing her then and there. Rinkah’s hand roughly grabbed Felicia’s wrist and spun her around so she was face-to-face with the girl, only inches away from her.

As Felicia looked Rinkah in the eyes, she noticed for the first time how…empty, they looked. There was so little behind them. Her eyes, her face, they began to bring back memories. “I knew I’d seen you somewhere else…” Felicia’s voice was barely a whisper. Images flashed in her mind. A dark, quiet room with only one inhabitant. A stuffed bear, torn in half. A bloodied knife. The realization finally hit her. “You’re—"

Before Felicia could finish, Rinkah grabbed her club and swung, knocking the girl out cold. Her body slumped down as Mozu and Rinkah made their escape, carrying as many valuables as they could.

Leo

Hans stood in front of him, giving another shifty smile. “Hans, I hope you don’t mind if I speak with you for a moment.” The gruff man had been talking with Peri, one of Xander’s retainers. Leo had never liked the girl, seeing her as nothing more than a demented killer. Xander always thought he could “save” her, thinking he could get her to see morality. Leo knew people like her, people like Hans, didn’t change.

“Of course I don’t, milord. What do you need?” Hans asked with false casualness. Leo could tell the man was nervous. Every now and then, he’d glance down at Ganglari. The dark sword still occasionally pulsed with energy, as if it was growing impatient.

“That sword, the one my father gave you. What does it do?” Leo asked. “I know what dark magic looks like, Hans. I’ve spent my life studying it. I’m also a good judge of character. So don’t lie to me.”

“It’s just a sword, Lord Leo!” Peri exclaimed in her usual childish way. “Why do you have to be such a jerk, just because you didn’t get to have it?” Of course, she’d claim it was jealousy. A common comeback for children.

“Silence, Peri. This matter does not concern you. If you speak again, I’ll inform Xander of your behavior.” Leo threatened. The blue-haired girl pouted, puffing her cheeks dramatically. Leo glanced around the remote hallway they were in, still a good ways away from the gala. He was lucky he caught the two of them talking to eachother in such an empty and distant location.

“It is true that this blade is infused with dark magic, however, I don’t quite understand what makes that so suspicious. Like you said, you practice dark magic constantly, yet I still trust and respect you.” Hans’ lies were growing more infuriating.

“Hans, remember that you’re nothing more than a prisoner on a leash. I could cut you down right now and my father wouldn’t shed a tear. Knowing him, he’d congratulate me for having the nerve.”

Hans made a brief chuckle. “Fine then, Lord Leo.” His tone was dripping with malice. “This sword has a mind of its own, I guess you could say. Or, more specifically, _minds._ ” Leo raised an eyebrow, feeling a hint of dread begin to form in his stomach. “We raided some Hoshidan villages a while back, ones that were outside the barrier. Iago got some spies out of it, and good for him, but I got something much greater.” He unsheathed the sword, showing it off to the prince. The blade looked like it was about to break, fragmented and cracked all over. Connecting it and the handle was what looked like an eye. Leo had always assumed it to be a replica, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was _twitching_.

“Every single Hoshidan I cut down that day had their souls stored in here.” Hans sounded almost proud of the fact. “All their hatred, their malice, it fuels Ganglari. And just like anything, too much fuel used too quickly can be quite volatile.” Hans let out a low laugh.

“You…you plan to attack Mikoto, don’t you?” Leo asked in fury. “Using a sword driven by the minds of Hoshidans. That’s how you’ll attack inside of the magic barrier.” He knew his father was not afraid of cowardly tactics to ensure a victory, but this was low, even for him. “I won’t allow this.” He drew his sword he kept at his side. He may have been more of an expert with tomes, but a blade was faster and quieter.

“That’s a shame, milord. You see, King Garon told me I’m to succeed in my mission by any means necessary. Promised me freedom if I did. He didn’t give any conditions.” Leo readied his sword as Hans gave a maniacal smile.

“We finally get to kill someone! Yay!” Peri jumped in joy, grabbing her spear. “I usually fight on horses, but I’ll make do if it means I can stab you!” She charged recklessly at Leo, fast enough to catch him off guard. He barely deflected her blow away, stepping back to create some space between him and her.

Hans capitalized on Leo’s weakness, rushing past him. “Get back here!” Leo shouted, turning to face Hans. Peri thrust her spear out at him, managing to cut his side. He redirected his attention to her, swinging at her and managing to cut her arm.

“UGH! Why do the people I wanna kill always have to make it hard! Just keel over and DIE ALREADY!” Peri screamed, using both hands to thrust her spear at Leo despite her injured arm. Her spear hit his chest, but thankfully his armor saved him, now dented but intact. Leo swung again, forcing her to go on the defensive. Of course, with the mental state of a child, she thought it would be smart to hold up her spear’s wooden handle as a shield.

Leo’s blade cut right through Peri’s spear, breaking it in two and continuing to land a deep blow. The girl screamed in pain, falling to the ground. He watched as she desperately tried to get up despite how much blood she was losing. “No…I won’t let you kill me! I’m supposed to…be the one killing…” Her voice was growing weaker. Leo couldn’t waste the time to finish her off. He turned around and sprinted away as fast as he could. He had to make it to the gala before it was too late.

Corrin

As Corrin was making idle conversation with Sakura, she found herself glancing around the ballroom, growing a bit bored of the talk. That’s when she noticed a familiar face, one who she still needed to talk to. “Corrin?” Sakura asked, grabbing her attention.

“Hm, yeah?” Corrin asked, only half-paying attention, still staring over at Siegbert, watching him carefully to make sure he didn’t go anywhere. There he was, meekly sitting at a table next to a few of the other Nohrian retainers.

“I just was thanking you, f-for giving me that advice on how to be brave. It really helped, and I even stood up to Kotaro! Now that he’s really gone for good…I never even considered a man l-like him could die. If I can stand up to him, I can stand up to anybody, you know?” Sakura explained.

“Yeah. Right.” Corrin dismissively answered. She was glad that Sakura was growing more confident in herself, but she was too distracted by Siegbert to really make a good response. She began to walk towards him, much to Sakura’s meek displeasure.

Corrin cleared her throat once she knew she would be within earshot of Siegbert and the others. The group turned their heads to face her, Siegbert included. She smiled at the man. “Excuse me, I was wondering if we could talk. Alone.”

The other retainers all looked at Siegbert, whose face was quickly turning as red as a tomato. One of the retainers, a redhead with pigtails, gave a smug sneer at him. “Ooh, someone’s made quite the catch!” She snickered as Siegbert grew more flustered.

“Careful.” Another retainer with a black bandana and blue hair warned. “Alone means a better chance for assassination.” Her tone was flat and monotone, lacking any sort of substantial emotion.

“I’m not gonna assassinate him!” Corrin said with an innocent smile on her face. “I just wanna ask him a question.”

* * *

 

  Siegbert hit the wall hard as Corrin scowled at him. “What the hell did you wanna say to me earlier? You’ve piqued my curiosity.”

“I-it was nothing, really! Just a silly thought!” Siegbert insisted, grunting in discomfort as Corrin tightened her grip on his arm. She didn’t particularly appreciate his lie.

“Lie to me again and see what happens. You may be cute, but I’ve hurt far more attractive guys before.” Corrin threatened, making sure she was still embarrassing Siegbert in the process. That seemed to be enough to finally make him crack.

“Okay, fine! Mikoto’s in danger! I wasn’t supposed to tell you, I…” Siegbert stopped. “I told you what you needed to know, Corrin.” He looked away in shame.

“Thank you. See? Not so hard.” Corrin let go, uninterested if Siegbert was okay. Her attention was focused on the gala as she ran down the halls of the castle. She had to let her mother know. She was so focused on getting there that she didn’t even ponder on how easily the thought of Mikoto being her mother came to her. It was like it was instinct.

The doors to the ballroom burst open and Corrin dashed in, ignoring the confused glares some of the guests cast her way. She spotted Mikoto talking with Sakura and Hinoka near the center of the room and made a beeline for them. “Corrin?” Mikoto asked, noticing the worry on her face. “What’s the matter?”

“We need to move, now. There’s—” Corrin stopped as she heard the sound of doors slamming open even louder than when she had entered. A bald Nohrian soldier entered, holding a blade that was surrounded by red smoke. He had a smile that managed to scare even Corrin.

“Queen Mikoto, I presume?” The man asked Mikoto. “I can tell. You look like the most insufferable person in the room.” The sword began to hum with energy. “Let’s fix that, shall we!?” The sword glowed brighter and brighter as purple light shone from the cracks in the blade. He took the handle in both hands and thrust it into the floor. Purple lightning crackled around it, followed by a burst of light and energy that filled the ballroom, strong enough to almost knock Corrin off her feet.

“Come on out you miserable souls!” He screamed as fog and electricity filled the air. “Blow all of these people to smithereens!” From the eye embedded in the handle of the blade, wispy figures began to emerge, pale shadows of people Corrin didn’t recognize. They began to swarm the air, crying out in agony. “That’s it! Do the one thing you can still do right!” The spirits began to go back to the ground, flying around the man. It was only when one grabbed his cheek, causing him to scream in pain, that his attitude changed.

“W-what are you doing!? You’re supposed to be attacking the Hoshidans!” Hans exclaimed as the spirits grew closer and closer. Their wails began to resemble speech, getting louder and louder.

**_"It hurts…it hurts!”_ **

**_“The burning won’t stop, please make it stop! I want it to stop!”  
"Where’s my son!? I can’t find my son!”_ **

**_“I’m so sorry Mozu, I should have protected you! I left you behind!”_ **

**_“My arm, why can’t I feel it anymore!?”_ **

**_“It’s all HIS fault, the butcher!”_ **

**_“Slaughterer!”_ **

**_“Maniac!”_ **

**_“MURDERER!”_ **

The wails became joined together as every spirit began to scream in unison, chanting the same word over and over. Murderer. Murderer. Murderer. The Nohrian wasn’t smiling anymore. His eyes were as wide as they could be as his body quivered from head to toe, his mouth agape. “No, get back! GET AWAY FROM ME!” The spirits converged on him, completely obscuring him. And as he let out one final scream of terror, Ganglari erupted into pure energy, sending all of its fragments straight at Mikoto.

“MOTHER!” Corrin cried out before being  blown onto her back, left dazed and barely conscious. Eventually, her blurry vision became clearer. She gazed around, faintly hearing screams of panic and terror around her. Slowly, she sat up, bringing a hand to her aching forehead, bringing it down and noticing it was soaked with blood. Where…where was her mother?

Corrin got up, her bones aching and her muscles feeling like they were on fire. The ballroom was in ruins, rubble all over, with corpses dotting the area. She frantically looked around the room, desperately searching for her mother. She had to find her. She had to make sure she was safe. As Corrin turned her gaze towards the center of the ruined ballroom, she finally saw her.

There her mother was, covered in dust, bruises, and scratches, but alive. Hinoka stood beside her, in a similar state. Corrin was so glad, she was so thankful. Then, her gaze moved to the side, towards what her mother and sister were staring at. In front of them and on the ground, right where the fragments of Ganglari had been headed, was a small girl with bright red hair, laying on her back in a pool of her own blood.

Corrin’s eyes widened. Her breath went sharp. Only one word was echoing through her head, piercing through any and all of her other thoughts as she took in the sight in front of her. One, single word.

_Sakura._

Corrin rushed to her, getting on her knees as she looked down at her sister. Multiple fragments from the sword were jutting out of her body. Miraculously, Sakura was somehow still alive and conscious. Her breathing was short and choppy, her eyes wide and staring at the ceiling. When she finally noticed Corrin, her gaze turned to her.

“M-mother was in danger…I wanted to be brave, to s-save her…” Sakura spoke, her voice barely audible. She had taken the blow so that it wouldn’t hit their mother. A sob built up in the back of Corrin’s throat as she watched her sister lay there in agony. “Was I…brave?” She asked.

“Y-you were brave, Sakura! Stupidly brave! Damnit Sakura!” Corrin shouted, tears sliding down her face and dripping onto Sakura. “You’re not going, you’re gonna stay right here and you’re gonna fight! I won’t let you go!”

“Corrin, I…I know it’s s-so selfish of me…” Sakura smiled gently. Her warm smile, the one that Corrin had always disregarded. It made Corrin all the more distraught. “But please, tell me…that you think of me as your s-sister.” Corrin let out another sob as Sakura begged. “Even if it’s only for a moment…I want to know that you see me as your sister…”

Sakura weakly brought her hand up and rested it on Corrin’s. Corrin clasped her hand around Sakura’s, shuddering violently as she continued to sob. “Corrin, please…was I…” Sakura didn’t finish. Corrin felt the girl’s arm go limp. As she moved back, bringing her hands to cover her mouth, Sakura’s hand fell lifelessly to the ground below.

Mikoto stood there, motionless as she stared down at Sakura. Hinoka was already sobbing relentlessly. Takumi and Ryoma had only just found them, horror appearing on their faces as they laid eyes on their sister. Corrin, feeling emotion well up inside of her, did the only thing she could. She screamed.

Azura

She should have been there. She could have helped. Azura was supposed to be at the gala, but instead, she had skirted away from her responsibilities, instead deciding to enjoy a quiet night to herself. When she heard the explosion that night, a pit formed in her stomach. Days later, that pit was still there.

Sakura was gone. Even now Azura had trouble saying it. She really was…gone. She would never see her again. It pained her very soul just thinking about it. She tried to push it out of her mind, but whenever she talked with the others, the subject inevitably would come up. Ryoma kept telling Azura that it wasn’t her fault, that there was nothing she could even have done. She knew it was a lie.

The only solace Azura found anymore was with Corrin. She often found herself visiting the crimson-eyed girl in her room, where the two would talk about various subjects and topics. It was an unspoken rule between the two of them to not bring up Sakura.

Corrin scratched idly at the bandages wrapped around her forehead as she listened to Azura tell a story about when Takumi tried to teach her to swim at a younger age. He was so insistent on being the one to teach her that it was only as he flailed in the water that she realized he hadn’t even learned himself. Corrin giggled at the story, staring out of her bedroom window.

“You’re thinking about the others, aren’t you?” Azura asked. Corrin gave a solemn nod. Mozu, Niles, and Rinkah had vanished without a trace. A good amount of the Royal Treasury vanished with them. Corrin had seemingly been left behind. “I wish I could offer sound advice about that, but…” Azura sighed. “I can’t claim to know enough to say for sure what you should expect.”

“I know.” Corrin quietly answered. “I know.”

Late at night, Azura found herself unable to sleep. Not because of nightmares, but because there was simply too much clouding her thoughts to properly sleep. Mainly, she was thinking of her brothers and sisters.

Xander. Camilla. Leo. Elise. She had never gotten the chance to meet them. She had thrown it away due to her own fears about what would happen. She wasn’t sure if Nohr even thought she was still alive. After the attack, they left without wasting much time. Azura couldn’t really fault them for it; whether they were to blame or not, the Hoshidan populace became enraged at the news of Sakura’s death. War seemed to grow more inevitable every day, no matter how much Queen Mikoto struggled to prevent it. And Azura knew she’d be one of the first casualties.

Why she decided to go to Corrin’s room, Azura wasn’t sure. She supposed she had simply grown to rely on her support by that point. She wasn’t sure how she’d be able to keep going on without the conversations she had. Corrin understood her on a level that the others, regardless of their love and care for her, never would. When she talked to Corrin, she truly felt like the girl cared about her every plight and knew just why they bothered her. She had become the closest friend Azura had ever made.

So, Azura was naturally surprised when she opened Corrin’s bedroom door and found her in the middle of climbing out of her window. “Corrin? What are you doing…?” Azura asked quietly, catching Corrin by surprise. The white-haired girl turned to look at her, sadness already appearing on her face. “You’re…leaving. Aren’t you?” Azura had a feeling somewhere deep inside of her that this moment was inevitable. Corrin wasn’t one to sit and do nothing.

“…Yeah. I am.” Corrin looked down at the ground, contemplating something to herself. Then, she looked up at Azura with newfound determination. “Come with me.”

Azura took a moment to comprehend what Corrin had just said. “You want me to come with you?” Her mind was spinning.

“Yeah. Come with me, with us. Niles and Rinkah and Mozu are outside, ready to get me out. They came back for me, Azura.” The smile on Corrin’s face was one of pure joy. It warmed Azura’s heart immensely to see Corrin so happy for the first time in days. “You can leave here with us.”

“What do you intend to do, once you leave?” Azura asked. She started to ask herself why she was even seriously contemplating the choice. But, as she thought more…why not? She loved Ryoma, Takumi, Hinoka, and of course Mikoto deeply, but after Sakura, and now that war was fast encroaching…her safety wasn’t guaranteed. Her relationship with them all could change.

“We’ve got enough loot from the Royal Treasury to do plenty. We’re gonna go to Nohr, and we’re gonna cause trouble. Maybe, if everything goes right, and with luck on our side, we can get payback for Sakura, for my dad, for everyone Garon’s hurt.” Azura digested the information, remaining silent. Corrin kept looking at her with eyes that said what her pride wouldn’t let her. She _needed_ Azura to come, just like Azura needed to stay with Corrin. “So? Will you come?”

Ryoma

He stood in front of his siblings and mother, holding the letter in his hands. Hinoka looked ready to collapse from the guilt that had been eating her since the night of the gala, Takumi had suffered enough migraines to go crazy, and mother…she and Ryoma had to carry the burden, so the others could recover. It was hardest for them. “This was found on Corrin’s bed. It’s…addressed to all of us.” Ryoma cleared his throat and began to read.

_Hey. I’m really sorry, about everything. I’d say everything I’m sorry for, but I’ve only got so much paper. I’ve gotta make it count. I want you to know that I do really, truthfully, think of you as my family. I just wish I’d have been able to say that to Sakura._

_I’m leaving. By the time you all read this, I’ll be long gone. I’m not running away. Far from it; I’m going straight to Nohr. I can’t just sit around and wait for the war to start, then fight on a battlefield. That’s not how I do things. I’m gonna fight on my own terms. I’m gonna fight for Sakura. I love you guys._

_Oh, Azura wants to write something._

_Hello. My sincerest apologies for my actions. You took me in and raised me as a part of the family, and I will never forget that. I will remain forever grateful for the kindness you showed me. However, that can only do so much good when Hoshido is in its current state. I’m no longer safe here. I’m fighting with Corrin. There, I can contribute far more._

_Corrin’s sorry for stealing from you, by the way. Even if her pride refuses to let her admit it. I hope to see you all again, preferably under better circumstances._

_Farewell, and good luck._

Azura

Everyone had all stopped to set up camp nearby a lake. Nohr’s geography was so familiar, yet so foreign to Azura. At least the lakes were like those in Hoshido. Crickets chirped, owls hooted, and fireflies were even shining above the surface of the water. As she stood at the water’s edge, she heard the others chatting and talking in the distance. Likely Niles making some crude joke, with the others reacting as usual. Azura giggled at the image. A single tear fell down her cheek as she began to sing.

 _"Embrace the dark, you would call a home…gaze upon an empty white throne, a legacy of lies, a familiar disguise—”_ Azura abruptly stopped her singing, gasping as she began looking around. As the area around her seemed to be quiet and empty like usual, she started to calm down. Perhaps her anxiety was getting to her, but…she could have sworn she heard someone else singing along. She shook her head, turning and heading back to camp.

???

“You’re encouraging bad luck by doing things like that.” A man said quietly, sitting down on a fallen tree. He pulled down the blue cloth covering his mouth and nose. “You might be discovered.”

“It’s quite alright. I was gone before she even realized I was there.” A softer, more gentle voice answered. “I needed to sing with her, at least once. Besides, it seems a bit strange for you to tell me not to interfere, considering what you did to Kotaro.”

The man sharpened a shuriken with a tough rock, keeping a close eye on it to make sure it was perfect. “Killing Kotaro was a necessary alteration to the course of events. That’s what we’re here to do; change what needs to be changed. The more we interfere with their lives, the more unpredictable everything becomes. That’ll make our goals exponentially harder to achieve.”

“You assume the others haven’t already interfered plenty. They don’t share the same exact goals as us. And considering they all managed to get their hands on Dwyer’s manuscript…they could have exploited the time changes in Deeprealms, just like we did. In fact, it’s more than likely that they did.”

“Even taking that into account, the emotional distraction that would be caused by interacting with them directly is another factor we must remember. No, it’s for the best that we keep our distance.”

“You’re still worried, aren’t you? Worried that everything will be for naught?”

“Of course I’m still worried. I’m terrified at the idea that everything we worked towards will fail in the end. Or that it’ll simply end up making the situation even worse.”

“Skepticism is understandable, but I feel we need to acknowledge just how remarkable it is that we’ve even made it this far. We’re here. We sacrificed plenty to achieve our goal, but we did it. We have a chance to change things for the better. Even if it’s tiny, shouldn’t we celebrate that, at the very least?”

“…I suppose you’re right, about that. We’ve obtained our chance. Though, if we want to capitalize on it, there won’t be any time to celebrate.”

“Of course. I merely mean to say that you should smile more, like you used to. That stern expression doesn’t suit you, Kana.”

“Yet you’ve managed to remain as melancholic as ever, Shigure.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”


	12. Enemy of Ours

Midori

"Hm hmm, dadada…" Midori hummed an upbeat song to herself as she stirred the contents of the bowl she had set over her makeshift campfire. It was bubbling and boiling, and nearly ready. "And for the finishing touch~" She grabbed some spices she had gathered earlier and tossed them in, sighing happily as the savory scent that emanated as a result hit her nose. "Perfection!" The young girl tilted her head back a little bit. "Asugi! Breakfast is ready!" She called out, waking up the redhead behind her.

"Eh? Wha?" Asugi asked in a daze, sitting up from the ground. "Morning already?" He whined, rubbing his eyes before stretching and yawning. "Time flies when you're dreaming about sweets, I guess."

"Actually, it's more midday." Midori commented rather casually, much to Asugi's surprise and annoyance. "I let you sleep in so that I'd have extra time to gather the ingredients for the stew." She grabbed two bowls from her pack and a ladle, using it to pour the stew into the bowls. She handed one to Asugi with her usual bright smile. "So, I guess it's more of a brunch than anything."

"Aw jeez, I can't get mad at you when you make that face." Asugi sighed, grabbing the bowl and sipping his stew. "But at this rate, we're never gonna make it to Shirasagi in good time." He took another loud sip, slightly grossing Midori out, though she didn't say anything. "I'm just glad you're good with medicine. Translates pretty decently to cooking."

"Same principles, really." Midori said with a shrug. "Combining ingredients to make something that's more than the sum of its parts." She took a much quieter sip of her own stew, savoring the flavor. "Hm, needs more spice. Darnit, I thought I had extra!" She set down her bowl, rummaging through her pack for any extra spices she may have leftover.

"You're scary smart for your age, you know that?" Asugi asked with a content smile on his face. "Guess that's what happens when Uncle Kaze's your dad…" He laughed before eating more of his stew.

"…Didn't do me much good, did it?" Midori asked, her own smile fading. "Didn't do the others much good." She stared down at her stew, suddenly not feeling very hungry anymore.

Asugi frowned. "Hey, Doc. What did I tell you about your guilt problem? What happened, happened. Honestly, with all we had to go through, it's a miracle the two of us managed to get here."

"You say that, but you wouldn't understand it the way I do!" Midori shouted, sniffling. "Healing people, saving people, it's what I do. It's what I'm best at. But I…" Her hands began to shake, threatening to spill the stew out of her bowl. "I couldn't save so many of them…"

Asugi reached a hand out and set it on her shoulder, giving a comforting smile as she looked up at him. "You saved me. That's enough." Midori sniffed, beginning to smile. Asugi was right. Even if it was just one person, she still helped someone. She just wished she could've done more. As she began to cheer up, a loud rustling could be heard nearby. "Aha, one of my traps! And you said they wouldn't come in handy!" Asugi leaped to his feet and dashed off towards the sound, leaving Midori hastily setting down her bowl and chasing after him.

"Darnit Asugi! It may have worked, but you spending all night setting it up was why you slept in so late! And now I bet a bear's gonna eat our stew…" Midori puffed her cheeks in a pout as she chased after Asugi; quite the tough task considering how much smaller she was, and her not being a trained ninja. However, her slower speed did grant her one advantage, being that she heard the sounds around her more clearly before moving past them. So, she ended up noticing the sound of rustling nearby. It seemed as if Asugi, in his haste to find his trap, had accidentally run right past it. Midori walked towards it, and much to her shock, she heard a familiar voice.

"Stuck inside this trap / Do I bother getting out / I'd much rather sleep." Midori gasped rather loudly upon hearing that voice. She dashed towards the trap, emerging from the foliage to see an old friend hanging upside down from a rope tied around her ankle, wrapped around a tree branch.

"Mitama!" Midori exclaimed, walking up to the girl with the starry eyes. "Is that really you!?" She noticed just how content Mitama seemed with her current predicament, despite the blood rushing to her head.

"Old friends reunite / In the past they had sought out / Signaling changed fate." Yep, it was definitely Mitama. "Greetings, Midori. It's a pleasure seeing you again after so long. I had begun to fear the worst." She idly tugged at the rope around her ankle, as if she didn't truly care too much if she escaped or not.

"Oh, lemme get that for you!" Midori headed over to the tree that Mitama was hanging under and began to climb up, carrying the handle of her knife in her mouth. Mitama didn't even glance her way as she began cutting the rope. Finally, it snapped apart, sending Mitama crashing down to the ground, much to Midori's embarrassment. "Probably should've given a warning…"

"I fall to the ground / Pain surges through my body / How heartless of you." Mitama lamented, amping up the melodrama to a level few others could match. She got up, dusting herself off whilst still holding onto a pen and paper, writing down her haiku. She barely even glanced up when Asugi emerged from the forest, just as shocked as Midori was.

"Well, I'll be damned. That really you, Stars?" Asugi asked, approaching the two. He glanced over at Midori, giving a friendly wink. "Make that two people you saved, Doc." Midori blinked, and it finally hit her. Mitama was here,  _alive_. And if Mitama was alive, even after she had gotten separated from Midori and Asugi, then perhaps more of her friends had made it. Maybe she wasn't such a horrible friend after all. "Hey, you alright?" Asugi asked. Midori realized that she had been crying. She wiped her tears, sniffed, and nodded.

"Mhm. Never better!"

Corrin

"You sure this is the place?" Niles asked, his eyes flickering side to side as he scanned the crowd around them. A large congregation of people had gathered in the plaza in the center of town. For what, the group was unsure; they had only just arrived at the town the evening prior. Traditional Nohrian architecture, along with a seemingly constant downpour that had just cleared for the first time since they arrived, created a dour mood from the moment they had set foot there.

"It's gotta be. Remember what the letter said? 'The tower that stretches to the heavens'." Corrin gazed at the building across the plaza; small in length and width, but numerous floors high, rivaling that of a castle. "Lord Trayon's estate. Famed for its immense height." She pulled her hood back just a bit, so she could get a better look at how high the tower went. "I gotta say, he's not subtle about his desire to compensate for a certain something."

"Of course you would resort to such a lowbrow insult." A significantly younger voice scoffed, wearing a hood of her own. "The foolishness of youth, I suppose."

"Oh come on Nyx, it was funny. Admit it." Corrin said with a grin. They had found her a few months back in the middle of what Nyx had described as reflection and meditation. To Corrin, it just looked like sulking. Finding out later that Nyx was actually older than all of them combined, but trapped in a far younger body, only cemented Corrin's decision to extend an invitation to join their merry band. Much to everyone's surprise, even Corrin's, Nyx accepted, though she refused to say why. "That reminds me, I still gotta loan you my favorite book. I'm telling you, it's hilarious."

"A shame Mozu isn't able to see this. I'm sure she'd be awestruck by the scale of it." Azura said in her usual soft voice. Mozu and Rinkah had been put in charge of keeping an eye on the camp they had set outside of town, to make sure nothing happened to it while they were investigating the letter they had been sent.

Well, perhaps "sent" wasn't the right word. A few days prior, Corrin had woken up in her tent and casually gazed to her side, noticing a knife plunged through a letter in the ground right next to her. Somehow, somebody had placed the letter there without disturbing Corrin or anyone else in the camp. The contents of the note were brief.  _"Meet at the tower that stretches to the heavens."_ Corrin knew what a job application for thieves looked like, and it was one of the best she had seen in a long time.

As Corrin puzzled on who could have sent the note, someone bumped into her from behind. They stumbled back a brief second before quickly walking past her, a hooded cloak obscuring their face. "Sorry." A feminine voice uttered, belonging to the hooded figure. Before Corrin could dwell on it, Niles nudged her.

"Uh, Corrin? I think I figured out why so many people are gathered here." Niles said, pointing to the top of the tower. There, standing at the very edge, was a girl, staring out at the horizon ahead of her.

"Shame, isn't it?" A villager said to another. "Another poor lass sent to plunge off the tower by Lord Trayon's orders."

"I don't know about that. From what I've heard, she stole from him. Almost took something very important." The other villager responded. "He's not the kind to take that sort of action lightly."

"What is going on here…" Corrin muttered to herself.

Nina

The wind was roaring, blowing her hair all around. It was a good thing it was still tied into its usual braided pigtails, or else it would've easily gotten in her face. That just wouldn't do for a situation as delicate as this. As she stared out towards the rising sun, she heard a rather obnoxious Lord behind her begin to whine.

"What on earth are you waiting for? Jump already! Unless you'd like to forego the little dignity you'll have and be sent down with a spear in your chest!" Lord Trayon insisted, his two guards standing on either side of him with their spears at the ready. Nina glanced down at her hands, bound in high-quality cuffs. Not the kind you could just slip out of without breaking a wrist. Nina wasn't a big fan of that method.

"I was hoping you'd allow me to pray, first." Nina spoke gently, making sure she was still turned away from Trayon. "One last time before I fade away from this world."

"Fine, make it quick. Pray to whichever god will give you comfort." Trayon said dismissively. Nina hid a grin. She got down on her knees and held her cuffed hands up to her face. Then, she subtly reached for her hair and grabbed a small piece of metal that was previously hidden inside. She held it with her teeth and stuck it inside of the lock, beginning to pick it.

These cuffs were quite familiar to Nina. In this current time, they were still regarded as uncrackable. The best money could buy. Little did Lord Trayon know, they'd have a fatal weakness discovered around a decade from now. Just wiggle a lockpick in the right place, give it a few shakes, and…

Nina caught the cuffs before they could fall. She didn't want Trayon to become aware of her successful attempt, not yet. She stood up slowly, taking a deep breath. "Thank you for that." Nina whipped around and tossed the cuffs, hitting one of the guards square in the forehead, sending him falling to the ground. "Bought me just enough time!"

As Trayon took a step back, surprise covering his face, Nina charged at him. The other guard readied his spear, but Nina wasn't interested in any real fighting. Rather, she was interested in what was hanging around Trayon's neck. She ducked under a swipe of a spear and reached her hand out, grabbing onto his golden locket. "I'll be taking that." Nina yanked hard, snapping the necklace and freeing the locket from his neck. She then whipped back around, running the other way. Straight towards the edge of the roof.

Corrin

"Holy shit!" Corrin exclaimed as the girl plummeted off the tower. As she stared in shock, the hooded person who had bumped into her broke into a sprint towards the area below the tower, which was devoid of spectators. Another hooded person ran past the group and joined them. The two discarded their cloaks, revealing themselves.

A blonde woman with the clothes of a Nohrian dark mage, colored yellow and black, grabbed a tome from her satchel. A beautiful stranger, dressed in pink, even wearing a pink beret, did the same. They opened their tomes, each of them casting an Excalibur spell. The wind launched from the tomes, so strong that it created a visible arc. The spells went around the falling girl, missing her but causing her fall to be slowed by the less strong winds blowing against her.

As the girl with braided pigtails gently hit the ground, she flashed a cocky smirk at the crowd of onlookers. In her hand was a golden locket that she opened roughly. She pulled a small scrap of paper from inside, pocketing it before throwing the locket itself to a random citizen. "I'm sure you'll need that more that Trayon ever will." Before she could say anything more, shouts could be heard. "That's my cue to bounce! Thank you all for attending!" She then dashed off, her partners in crime following behind her.

"I get the feeling that's also our cue to follow." Corrin said to her comrades, who all nodded in agreement. They ran towards where the three thieves had run off to, eventually splitting up to cover all the possible routes they could have taken. Guards were also in pursuit, though they were far less interested in the hooded Corrin and friend than they were in the people who had just made a laughing stock of Lord Trayon.

The rain had picked up again by the time Corrin turned down an alleyway and spotted the girl who had jumped off the tower. She had a bow ready, an arrow docked, but it wasn't pointed at Corrin. Instead, it was pointed at a familiar figure the opposite direction from her. The man who had killed Kotaro.

"You!?" Corrin exclaimed. The girl's aim faltered as her eyes drifted back towards Corrin. It was only for a second, but it was enough to encourage the man to charge at the girl, a dagger at the ready. Corrin came to her defense, throwing a dagger of her own and successfully knocking the man's weapon out of his hand, cutting him in the process. He grunted in pain, gripping his bleeding hand and looking up at Corrin. His face was still obscured by cloth, his eyed hidden by natural shadow. He glanced back to the other girl before making a hasty retreat, running out of the alleyway.

Corrin approached the girl, who breathed a sigh of relief as she turned around. "Thanks for the save. I dunno if I would've been able to hold him off by myself." She looked around, groaning. "They'll save me from falling off a tower but of course they disappear the second we start running…" She mumbled, likely referring to her comrades.

"I'm gonna assume you're the one who left me that note." Corrin said. The girl nodded. "Well, I have to admit that you made quite the impression. A little too showy for my tastes, but that was probably just for first impressions' sake, right?"

"Oh no, I do stuff like that all the time." The girl answered, taking Corrin by surprise. "Where's the thrill of a good heist if you play everything safe? Thieving is dangerous by nature; might as well up the ante!" She grinned again. "I'm Nina, by the way. Pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise." Corrin gave a smile in return. "Though, our group's got a bit of a higher barrier for entry than you may think." That was a lie, of course, it was really just down to Corrin's personal whims. "You're gonna have to give me a little more reason to bring you and your friend in on things."

"Of course, of course. I expected as much." Nina said, grabbing the paper from the locket. "Which is why during my escape, I snagged this." She unfolded it, cleared her throat, and began to read. " _Knights of honor guard the next step._  We need to go to Cheve."

"Wow, impressive. Care to explain why I should care?" Corrin asked sarcastically, raising an eyebrow. Nina didn't seem to have expected that kind of response, and cleared her throat again, this time genuinely.

"R-right!" Nina chuckled nervously. "Basically, it's a treasure map, a cookie trail, whatever analogy floats your boat. I've been spending my whole life searching for the reward." She seemed genuinely excited just talking about it.

"And that reward is…"

"Not telling you." Nina gave a wink. "A girl has to hide some of her secrets, right? I guess you'll have to trust me." Corrin had to admit, she was liking Nina already. She hadn't seen enough of her friends to gauge whether they were trustworthy, but she could tell Nina's intentions were pure. Well, as pure as you can get when you're a career criminal.

"Alright, fair enough. Just explain one thing to me." Corrin's eyes narrowed. "How do you know that man?" Nina tried to hide her surprise. "Don't think I didn't notice the way you looked at him. You two have a history, don't you?"

"That's, um, well…" Nina began to mumble something incoherent, likely buying for time until she could think of a proper explanation or excuse to give.

"His name is Kana." A voice said from behind Corrin, causing her to turn around. There stood Nina's two compatriots, the one dressed as a dark mage and the one with a fantastic fashion sense. The dark mage continues. "He's our sworn enemy, one who sets to prevent us from reaching our goals at every turn! He infuses our lives with darkness and malice, using his mastery of the shadows to hit us with stealth! Truly a nightmare given human form!"

"What Ophelia means to say, in her usual excited way…" The other one began to speak. "Is that Kana is an enemy of ours. Certainly not somebody we'd ever trust. He aims to capture the treasure before we can, to use it for his own selfish means."

"Forrest is right." Nina finally spoke, causing Corrin to turn around to face her. "Kana's a threat. Judging by your own reaction, I assume you've met him too?" Corrin nodded in response. "I thought so. Then you know how dangerous he can be."

"All you're telling me is that bringing you three into the fold means we're gonna have to start dealing with him far more often. Not exactly an exciting proposal." Corrin pointed out, much to Nina's displeasure. "Did you actually think this through that much beyond the initial 'jumping off the tower' bit?"

"Alright, fine! The clues lead to a Divine Weapon. Not just any Divine Weapon,  _the_  Divine Weapon." Nina folded the paper back up. "The Yato. Said to be the most powerful of the bunch." There was a brief pause.

"Nope, never heard of it." Corrin bluntly said, only further frustrating Nina and confusing Forrest and Ophelia.

"That's because it's been lost for centuries! But it turns out that whoever hid it laid out clues to help find it!" Nina was trying desperately to convince Corrin. "If we follow the clues, we get the Yato. If you wanna take down King Garon, that's your best bet."

Corrin put her thumb to her chin as she thought hard about it. If Nina was right, if Yato really did exist…she had seen what Raijinto and the Fujin Yumi could do firsthand when she was in Hoshido. A weapon that was somehow more powerful was a pretty big deal. "Fine, you can join our little group. Don't try anything though; I'm still gonna keep an eye on you three girls."

"T-three!?" Forrest exclaimed in surprise. "You must be mistaken, there are only two women here." Corrin turned to face Forrest.

"Two? But you're all…" It clicked in her mind. "Oh. I…see." She wasn't too interested in dwelling on why Forrest dressed like a woman. "You do you."

Nyx

The group had arrived back at camp, with the three newcomers in tow. Nyx had paid close attention to all of them. Nina seemed absurdly arrogant, like the most insufferable qualities of Corrin given human form. Ophelia couldn't stop overdramatizing every little detail of life, even claiming that a discolored acorn she had noticed on the way was a sign that higher powers were blessing them with good luck. Forrest, however, was the one who interested Nyx the most. Not for his choice of fashion; the witch had lived more than long enough to learn to abandon her preconceived notions on such topics. What fascinated Nyx was how Forrest seemed keen on avoiding her at all costs, not even daring to make eye contact.

As Nyx was ruminating on this in her tent, she was rudely interrupted by Corrin, who stuck her head in through the tent flap. "Guess what I found?" Corrin asked, pushing her hand in and holding a book. "It's the book I read when I was a kid! Told you I could find a copy!" She noticed the death glare Nyx was giving in an attempt to scare her off. "I'll just, ah, leave this here…" Corrin set the book down on the ground and promptly left.

After a while of more contemplative thought, Nyx finally let her curiosity get the better of her, picking up the book. It seemed to be just another simple children's fairytale, nothing special. The hero Alexander fought great evil, such as the evil queen Cassandra and the dragon king Kana—Nyx stopped. Kana? As in, the same name that Nina and the others had given to the ninja Corrin mentioned?

That seemed like a rather odd coincidence. Though, in her age, Nyx understood that there wasn't truly any such thing as a coincidence. Rather, everything was a reason for something else to happen. The smallest influence could massively affect something later on. First Forrest treated Nyx like the plague, even more than most people naturally did, and now a character in Corrin's childhood book shared the name with a mysterious ninja that opposed them. Something wasn't right, and Nyx would be disappointed in herself if she didn't make an effort to get to the bottom of it.

Mitama

Mitama, Midori, and Asugi sat around a crackling fire, talking with eachother like old times, laughing and reciting old stories they remembered being told about when they were kids. For once, things felt rather calm. But as time went on, Midori eventually brought up a rather touchy subject. "Hey, Mitama? You…you still agree with us, right?"

"Whatever do you mean, Midori?" Mitama asked, giving a confused look towards Midori.

"It's just that it's been a really long while since we've seen eachother. For you it might've been even longer, considering how much the Deeprealm traveling messed with time." Midori began to explain. "Heck, Asugi was a year older after we got separated and reunited." She looked down at her lap, twiddling her thumbs. "I just wanna know that your goals haven't changed since we last saw eachother."

"My goals…you mean the destruction of Nohr?" The three of them went silent, the only sound in the night being the crackling of the fire and the chirping of crickets. "I still believe, Midori. Destroying Nohr is the only way to ensure Hoshido doesn't fall into ruin." She considered expressing her feelings through haiku but decided now wasn't the best time.

"That's a relief." Midori sniffed. "So many of the others stopped agreeing with us…I don't know what I'd do if you stopped believing too." Mitama waited a few more seconds for Midori to gather herself. "We leave at sunrise. We have to make it to Castle Shirasagi. We have to warn them of what's to come."

"Of course." Mitama said, bringing a hand to her chest. "The sooner we arrive, the sooner I can reunite with father…" She imagined what Azama would say when he found out his daughter was here from the future, attempting to save his life. "…and mother." The image of her mother filled her thoughts. A gentle smile, almost as kind as the soul it belonged to. A perfect foil for her father's nihilism. Her nervous laugh, her name which she shared with Mitama's favorite part of a cherry tree; its blossoms. Sakura.

Siegbert

"You requested my presence, Lord Xander?" It was still so bizarre to call him by that name. To not call him "father". Siegbert wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to get used to it. His father stood in front of him, his eyes scanning over a map of the continent.

"Yes, I did. Princess Corrin was sighted a few days back in Lord Trayon's territory, in Southern Nohr." Xander pointed to the location on the map. "Hoshido continues to claim they have no control over what she does, but I'm convinced she's been receiving aid from them in her efforts to undermine Nohr. I need you to go there and investigate, see if you can figure out where she went."

"Yes, Lord Xander." Siegbert had noticed his father's mental state had deteriorated recently. He wasn't allowed to bear witness to Xander's discussion with King Garon after Mikoto's failed assassination attempt, but when Xander had emerged from the throne room, he seemed determined not to speak of it.

It didn't help that Xander's decision earned him the ire of all of his siblings. Elise openly viewed him and Garon as monsters, whilst Leo had only grown closer to her and farther from him. Even Camilla, who usually understood and accepted the cost of war, found the ordeal to be a crossed line.

Add on top of that Hoshido's recent formal declaration of war and losing his retainer Peri during the assassination attempt, finding out she was one of the conspirators against Mikoto…it was no wonder that Xander seemed to only focus on the newly begun war effort. It was likely all he could do to stay sane. Siegbert thought about this as he headed back to his chambers. He was just glad that he had someone by his side who would support him. He needed someone like that for the choices he knew he would have to make.

He opened the door to his chambers, nearly stepping on an old, half-wilted plant. "Another treasure? I'm sure the maids don't appreciate it." Siegbert said with a smile. The wolfskin woman in his room smiled back.

"Maybe if I just tell them I'm engaged to royalty, they'll back off. Too bad I'm stuck carrying your secrets." Velouria teased, brushing some of her ashen hair out of her face. Siegbert approached his fiancé and gave her a kiss on the cheek, sitting down on the side of his bed as the two began to talk about the plan to search for Corrin.

Peri

"Heehee…those merchants sure did let out some fun screams, didn't they?" The girl giggled, walking away from a few scattered corpses next to a destroyed wagon. The blade she was carrying hummed with red energy, the eye on the hilt looking around frantically. "Oh, is that you Hans? I haven't heard your voice in a while…" She brought up Ganglari, nuzzling the side of her face against it. "You don't need to worry, I'll keep killing. You'll have plenty more souls to keep you company in there, and I'll have more fun! It's a win-win."

Peri's giggle turned into a laugh as she walked deeper into the woods, leaving the corpses of the merchants who had been unfortunate enough to run into her. The local wildlife was sure to take care of the remains for her. Or maybe somebody else would stumble upon the bodies first. Just imagining their reaction made Peri squeal with delight. It helped her ignore the always-present headache she had obtained ever since the weapon had appeared in front of her as she was bleeding out in Shirasagi. Maybe if she kept killing, the headache would go away too. Wouldn't that be nice…


	13. Deviations

Takumi

A cold, bitter wind hit the Hoshidan Prince as he dashed through the town, ducking behind a street corner. He held Fujin Yumi at the ready, unsure if he was still being pursued. As he waited, he realized how heavily he was breathing and tried to calm himself.

He had to keep the town safe. It housed a large amount of silver, perfect for making weapons. But it wasn't just the silver; Takumi knew that. When he and his men had arrived, the town had a celebration in their honor. "The saviors from Hoshido", they called them. Knights in shining armor, ready to keep them safe from the approaching Nohrian forces that aim to take the town and its supply of silver.

When the enemy had arrived, things initially had gone well. Diviners were using their magical scrolls to deal damage to groups of soldiers storming in the distance, while Takumi and the other archers picked off anyone who strayed from the formations to avoid being blasted to bits. But eventually, the Wyverns arrived. The Nohrians riding them were swift and fierce, and for every five or six Takumi shot down one would slip through and attack the defending forces. A break in the formation was inevitable.

Chaos soon broke out as the Nohrians got closer and closer to the town. Takumi ordered them to stand their ground, but they ended up retreating further in. He and a few others were the only ones who bothered staying at the edge of town. Even then, it was a matter of time until he too ordered the rest to fall back.

During the process, Takumi's retainers became separated from him. He lost track of where to go in this unfamiliar location. He started running into Nohrian soldiers who were scouting ahead for the Hoshidan army's new location. Here he was now, forced to run and hide like a rat, or face the very real possibility of death.

Finally, he could hear them in the distance. Footsteps. He could run, find a place to wait for them to pass by, then try to find his retainers. Or, he could fight back. He'd probably make it. Maybe.

Takumi closed his eyes. One breath in, one breath out. Again. One breath in, one breath out. He turned the corner and aimed his bow. His eyes scanned the street as he made note of the Nohrian troops. Two regular soldiers, an archer, and a mage. He fired at the mage first, watching the arrow of light pierce through the man's head and send him to the ground. The swordsmen charged, scarily fast. He had fifteen – no, ten seconds at best until they arrived, he pulled back the glowing bowstring, another arrow materializing in his hand.

The arrow seemed to cut through the air itself as it soared, striking a soldier's neck. He grinned, knowing they didn't stand a chance. He still had a good five seconds left until he got within striking range, more than enough time to prepare another arrow and—

Takumi felt numb. He stopped, realizing he was falling backward. He hit the ground, the thud against his head only inciting the smallest bit of pain. Then, the numbness vanished, and Takumi screamed. His skull felt like it had been pierced straight through. His vision was blurry, his sense of sound muffed and distance. Half the world seemed to be black. Why was…why was half the world black?

The archer. There was still the archer. He must've been hit. Why didn't he take care of him first? Why did he let himself get so careless? Why was half the damned world  **black**!? He let out another scream, bringing his hand to his face, grasping to find where the pain was coming from. He felt wood, pointing outwards from his eye. He brought his hand back, looking at it carefully. It was soaked in blood.

Behind his hand, staring down at him was that soldier. He gave a menacing grin, his sword still in his hand. He said something, but Takumi couldn't make out what it was. He had the feeling it wasn't terms of surrender.

He couldn't die here, not now. What would Hinoka and Ryoma think, knowing he had been taken down by a couple of regular soldiers? What would mother think, finding out she had lost yet another child? He couldn't do that to her. He wouldn't do that to her. He tried to lift up the Fujin Yumi, to aim it at the man above him and send an arrow through his gut. His arms were shaking violently, his grip weak. He couldn't do it.

 _I can't die…I can't die!_  Takumi felt an arrow from the Fujin Yumi materialize into his hand. He gripped it tight and pushed all of his strength into his arm, swinging it up and jamming the arrow into the man's side. The man stumbled backward, trying to yank the arrow of light out of his side, only for it to dissipate and leave an open wound.

The Nohrian solder raised his sword, ready to strike at Takumi. Then, just as it was about to swing down, an arrow hit him from the side, sending him down to the ground. Takumi tried to lift his head up, to see who had sent the arrow, but he couldn't manage to do it.

A new figure stood over him. She couldn't have been older than a teenager. Her green hair was tied into pigtails, reaching down to the rather heavy-looking backpack she was carrying. She said something, but Takumi still couldn't make out what. He could tell that she was worried, however. She got down on her knees and set her backpack down next to her.

The girl brought her hand behind Takumi's head, using it to lift him up so that he was sitting. He saw the archer who had shot him being stabbed in the neck by what looked like a Hoshidan ninja. He reminded Takumi of Saizo. The girl grabbed something from out of her backpack, then spoke to him again. He still couldn't hear her. Then, she reached her hand out, grabbed the arrow sticking through his eye, and yanked back.

Takumi didn't even have enough time to scream before he passed out from the pain.

Then, he awoke. Above him was the fabric of a tent, a dark brown. He stared at it for a few seconds. Half his vision was still black. He brought his hand to his face, feeling bandages covering his left eye. As he moved his hand, he could hear a gasp next to him, quiet and brief. He sat up, the sheets over him falling to his lap. Looking to his right, he saw that green-haired girl from before, standing up from the ground where her backpack was, open with supplies strewn out across the floor.

"Oh finally, you're awake!" She said cheerily, walking up to Takumi and leaning over, her face inches away from his own. She "hmm"ed and "humm"ed over him as she looked him over. It was rather uncomfortable for him, but she didn't seem to notice. After a few seconds longer, she smiled, letting out a brief giggle. "Fantastic! Response times are as acute as ever! At least that part of your brain wasn't damaged."

"T-that part? Wait, slow down!" Takumi exclaimed, feeling panic begin to well up inside. What did she mean by that? "Who…who are you? Where's the person who's been taking care of me?" Takumi looked around the tent for another presence, noting how large it was. A table sat in the corner, holding a few medical instruments, some salves, and various powders.

"You're looking at her, dummy!" The girl was rather insulted by Takumi's assumption that she wasn't his caretaker. "Name's Midori!" She pointed a thumb towards herself. "I'm the reason that arrow didn't lodge itself through your brain and cause a ton of damage!"

"Arrow?" Takumi's eyes widened as he remembered what had happened. "Wait, through my brain!?" That was right. The arrow was sticking out of his face. His eye was covered in bandages. That was, unless it—

"I'm sorry." Takumi's panic was interrupted as he noticed just how devastated Midori looked. "I-I'm just an apothecary. Even with Mitama's help, I couldn't…" She sniffed, a tear sliding down her face. "I couldn't save your eye. I'm so sorry."

He felt like he was going to be ill. He swallowed that feeling, knowing how that would make the girl feel. "You…saved my life, Midori. I don't think anybody could have fixed my eye if an arrow went through it." His hands shook, his heart beating hard. "I just can't believe it. I feel like I should be feeling something more than this…this…" He couldn't find the word.

"Emptiness?" Midori suggested. That was the exact word he was looking for. "You usually get that feeling when you lose something important to you. Or someone." Takumi didn't need to ask to get the gist of what she was saying. She had lost important things too.

"Don't mind Doc." A new voice spoke out. Takumi looked towards the entrance of the tent, where the flap was being lifted as the ninja from before walked in. "She's had kind of a guilt complex for a while now. Funnily enough, the only thing about it that doesn't make her feel like shit is when we talk about it."

"This is Asugi, my cousin." Midori explained, her voice still solemn despite her attempts to make it sound cheerier. She turned her head to face Asugi. "Is Mitama with you? As if to answer her question, a pink-haired girl walked in behind the ninja. Takumi assumed she was Mitama. "Great, the gang's all here."

"I don't mean to interrupt things, but, um…" Takumi felt rather awkward just asking. "Where are we, exactly? I haven't heard anything outside of the tent, so we can't be in the town, can we?"

"Actually, we're right outside of it." Asugi corrected. "You just missed the whole battle. Guess that's what happens when you're out cold for a couple days. Don't worry, Hoshido won this fight. With our help, of course." He gave a smug grin, much to Midori's annoyance. "Though, it wasn't pretty. They're still missing a pretty decent chunk of the soldiers. I'd wager most of them were buried under rubble."

"Asugi, stop!" Midori punched him in the arm, frowning. "Don't listen to him, I'm sure your retainers—"

"Nobody ever mentioned my retainers." Takumi interrupted. "Why did you bring them up?" Silence filled the tent. Takumi felt panic begin to grow in his gut yet again. "Midori, where are my retainers?"

"We…don't know. Or, at least, we don't know if we don't know." Midori said, looking down at the floor. "It's complicated."

"Then make it less complicated and explain, now." Takumi wasn't in the mood to deal with circular answers and half-truths. He needed to know where his retainers were, to know if they were okay.

Midori hesitated but eventually answered. "If our knowledge is correct, then they're…dead." The pit sank down into the depths of Takumi's gut like a stone. "B-but they might not be! Things changed this time! They might still be alive!"

"What the hell do you mean, 'things changed'!?" Takumi shouted, frightening Midori, who stepped back. At the moment, he didn't particularly care. "Are they dead or not!?" His head was pounding with pain, but he pushed it aside.

"Hey, lay off her! We don't know!" Asugi shouted right back. "All we know is what we were told about them, that they died in this battle!" Even in his rage, Takumi noticed their use of the past tense. How could they have heard about something that hadn't happened yet? "Listen, the truth is, we're…" Asugi stopped, rubbing the back of his head. "Man, it's way harder to say than I thought it would be."

Finally, Mitama spoke up. And she spoke in haiku. "Children of legend / Born in an empty future / Trying to fight fate." Takumi stared at her like she was an alien. What was she going on about? "We're from the future, in case you didn't gather."

"The future, right. Uh-huh." Takumi sighed, massaging his forehead in an attempt to make his headache go away. "I'm starting to wonder if you three are just a bunch of loonies."

"It's true." Mitama insisted, her voice calm and hazy. "I'm all the proof you need. I know every secret about the Hoshidan Royal Family. I'm a princess, after all." Midori and Asugi both looked to her.

"Hey Stars, maybe we shouldn't spill all the beans so quickly…" Asugi warned. Both he and Midori clearly were a little wary. Takumi wasn't sure what to think. There was no possible way that the three in front of him were from the future. Mainly because traveling from the future was impossible.

"He wants proof, and I can give it to him." Mitama pointed out, looking at Asugi before back to Takumi. "Ask any question about the Royal Family, and I'll do my best to answer it."

"Okay then, how about the big one?" Takumi asked. "Whose kid are you?"

There was a brief silence through the tent. "I thought you'd ask me a harder question, at the very least. My father is Azama. You likely know him as a royal retainer." Hinoka married Azama? Or even worse, Corrin married him? Takumi couldn't see either of the two as the type to fall in love with him. Both were too headstrong and stubborn to grow attracted to a carefree nihilist like him. "My mother is your sister, Sakura."

Silence. Then, the pit in Takumi's gut exploded into a fierce rage. "Oh I get it, you're just trying to mess with me, huh? Get a good laugh out of Takumi, since he's lost his eye and all!"

"We're not trying to mess with you, really!" Midori insisted. "Princess Sakura really is her—"

"SAKURA'S DEAD!" The silence that followed was enough to surprise Takumi, even in his rage. Asugi and Midori looked horrified. He couldn't tell what Mitama looked like. Her expression seemed blank. Then, she swiftly turned around and exited the tent.

"That's…that's impossible." Midori muttered. "That's not what happened…" Takumi didn't say anything. His rage had cleared, and he had begun to see that there was no way they were lying. He was always skeptical of new faces, but their reactions seemed so…real.

Asugi was the one to finally speak up after another long period of quiet. "C'mon Midori, we need to let him rest." He grabbed the girl's arm and gently led her out of the tent. "And we need to talk." Midori didn't protest. The two of them exited the tent, leaving Takumi alone. He felt a wave of exhaustion hit him as the adrenaline in his body began to wear off. Within moments, he was lying down on the bed, fast asleep.

Midori

"Mitama?" Midori had been searching high and low for her friend. Not exactly a great way to spend the time, considering it hadn't been long since the battle had ended, which meant there could still be Nohrian stragglers out there. Finally, she had spotted Mitama's familiar pink hair, seeing that she was writing on her notepad on a riverbank.

She approached, stopping a few feet away from her and sitting down. She wanted to make sure she was giving Mitama some space. "Whatcha writing?" She asked, straining her neck in an attempt to get a better look at Mitama's notepad.

"Haikus, about what it will be like when I reunite with father and mother." Mitama replied, sending pain spiking through Midori's chest. "Oh, and about how I never expected my uncle to be such a callous liar."

Midori was hesitant to say anything in response to that. Mitama returned to writing. "Listen, Mitama, I don't think he was—"

"Because he has to be lying, right?" Mitama's voice went quiet. "Because if he's telling the truth, then I've already lost her." From behind, Midori couldn't get a good look at her friend's face. She wasn't sure if she wanted to. "And if I've already lost her, then why—" A loud  _snap_  interrupted Mitama. She and Midori looked to her hand, realizing that Mitama had put enough pressure on her pen to snap it in half.

"…Then why did I come back to save her?" Mitama seemed to sink forwards, her body heaving with every sob she let out. All Midori could do was get up, walk over to her friend, and wrap her arms around her, trying her best to give her some kind of comfort.

Takumi

Mitama stood in front of his bed again, her hands held together in front of her. She looked to the ground, her eyes red from crying. "Just ask whatever question you wish. Whatever you need for proof." Her voice was quiet and crackly.

Takumi thought about it. What questions could he ask that would definitely prove her heritage? It couldn't be too vague, or it wouldn't prove she was supposedly Sakura's child. He needed something specific, something that only he and Sakura would have known. "I just have one." He swallowed, feeling how dry the back of his throat was. "What was her nickname for me, when we were little?"

"Her nickname…" Mitama began to giggle. It was quiet at first, but in a few seconds, she was giggling rather loudly. Her face brightened up and her mouth formed into a smile. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just…" She giggled again. "Pineapple Head. That was her nickname for you. She thought your hair was so funny."

Takumi blinked in surprise. Then, he began to laugh as well. "She really did, didn't she? I remember I kept my hair like that just to spite her. I was even more stubborn back then. Though I still do my hair like that, so maybe I'm still just a stubborn kid at heart." He breathed out an airy sigh. "Alright, I'll buy it. So you three are from the future. Something must've gone wrong if you came here. So, what happened?"

"It wasn't a calamity or anything great like that." Mitama answered. "It was just…time. Hoshido and Nohr were at war from now, all the way until we traveled back. Neither side could gain an edge on the other, so it just went back and forth. Eventually, both kingdoms were just husks of what they used to be. The war only ended because both sides lost."

"…So, why are you here then?"

"Because we understand that if Hoshido can survive, it means that we have to defeat Nohr. As quickly as possible." Mitama's face showed just how determined she was. "We're here to use our knowledge of what happens to sway the war in Hoshido's favor."

"And how reliable is your knowledge? It seems there have been pretty big deviations already. How do you know that your knowledge will be useful?" Takumi felt bad saying this to the poor girl, but he had to be a realist about this.

"We…we don't." Mitama admitted. "But even if we can't use that, we'll fight anyways." Takumi nodded. What she was saying made sense. "We need to get to your siblings. Ryoma, Hinoka, and especially Corrin. We need to convince them before the others can get to them."

"Others?" Takumi raised an eyebrow. "You aren't the only ones who came from the future?"

"No. we aren't. There are more who came back, but their goals are different. If they can sway the opinions of the right people before we can, none of this will work."

"Well, who are these people?"

Siegbert

"Nina, Forrest and Ophelia." Siegbert explained, showing an illustration of the girl. "The first is a master thief that rivals some of the best in the world. She'll rob you blind, rub it in your face, and have time to spare for her escape."

"Sounds like my kinda girl." A redhead said in response, grinning as she crossed her legs. Velouria occasionally glanced at her pigtails, likely debating if she could get away with touching them. Most people found that annoying, but Siegbert loved that about her. Her strange habits and tendencies always charmed him.

"Then, there's Forrest." Siegbert held up a new illustration. "He – yes Laslow,  _he_ , is a gifted mage. Don't let his gentle demeanor or his penchant for healing fool you. If he needs to, he'll blast you to kingdom come."

"Well, I'll keep an eye out." Laslow leaned back in his seat. Siegbert grabbed the last illustration, catching Laslow's attention. "What about her? She reminds me of someone…" Laslow glanced next to him, where a blonde dark mage was sitting.

"Ophelia. Think of her as Odin, if Odin was a woman." Siegbert's joke elicited a chuckle out of everyone but Odin, who blushed from embarrassment. "She's a powerful dark mage, and she loves her theatrics."

"So, you believe these three are searching for Princess Corrin?" Odin asked, enraptured by Siegbert's briefing.

"Yes. They seek to aid her in her attempts to sabotage Nohr's war effort. That's why the three of you will be helping us track Corrin down." Siegbert put the drawings back in his pocket. "Best case scenario, we find and arrest her before they can get to her. Even if they've already met her by the time we find her, at least we'll be hitting two birds with one stone."

"Ya know, I'm not sure the five of us will be able to track little miss princess all by ourselves." Selena said, giving Siegbert a skeptical glare. "I get it, we have to operate in small numbers so that we don't let her on to our operation, but is five really gonna be enough?"

Siegbert rubbed his forehead. "Well, you three are some of Nohr's finest warriors, and royal retainers." The compliment went well with Odin and Laslow, though Severa seemed to acknowledge it as nothing more than bootlicking. "Velouria has the keenest senses of any Wolfskin I've met." The girl blushed slightly in response. "And I'm not too poor of a soldier myself, if I can break from humility for a moment." He paused. "Though, there are actually six of us. The last person just didn't show up to the meeting."

Selena rolled her eyes. "Great. That inspires loads of confidence, knowing that the other person can't be bothered to attend a simple briefing." She crossed her arms. "Who is this guy anyways?"

As if on cue, the door to the room burst open. The eyes of everyone were drawn to the newcomer. Siegbert wasn't sure if more attention was on the bright pink hair or the exuberant smile. "Hey, you guys!" Soleil shouted. "Sorry I'm late, but I ran into this super cute girl who said she'd—" She stopped talking as she seemed to finally notice the awkwardness filling the room. She blinked, tilting her head. "What? Is there something in my teeth?"


	14. Drink Up

Mozu

A humble campfire roared in the depths of a forest, accompanying the sound of cicadas buzzing their usual tune. Seven people sat around it, all waiting for Niles to hurry up and pass the booze around. "Yeah yeah, gimme a minute." Niles grumbled, emerging from his tent with a few more bottles. "You all are welcome to help me grab more bottles if you really care that much!"

"Booze! Booze! Booze!" Nina chanted, curling her hands into fists and slamming them down on her legs. Ophelia and Mozu had accompanied her, while Nyx grumbled something about foolish kids, Forrest looked incredibly uncomfortable, and Rinkah was her usual silent self. The three of them cheered as Niles finally started handing out the bottles.

"I never took you for a drinker, Mozu…" Forrest chuckled nervously as the shy country girl downed half her bottle in one gulp, sighing happily. Niles handed him one, which he eyed like it was poison.

"You kidding!?" Mozu exclaimed, drinking some more. "This is the one time I can totally relax! A good drink is like Heaven on earth!" She nudged Nyx, who was sitting next to her. "C'mon, drink up!"

"Beer is such an unrefined beverage." Nyx complained, setting her still-full bottle to the side. "At least have a nice wine prepared if you insist on drinks." She suggested while crossing her arms.

"My apologies, milady." Niles mocked, taking a swig of his drink. "Next time I'll prepare a fine three-course meal at a world-famous restaurant to accompany it." Nyx blushed gently from embarrassment, turning her face away from the thief. "Now, we've gotta celebrate our three new recruits; Ophelia, Forrest, and…" He blinked, looking at Nina. "…Nancy."

Nina looked like she was about to burst into flames. "IT'S NINA!" She screamed, scaring the living daylights out of Forrest but only making Niles laugh heartily. Mozu stifled a giggle, while Ophelia just found the whole thing hilarious, laughing so hard that she snorted. Nina stewed in her own misery.

"Right, Nina. So, I used to run with this gang, and they had a way of testing new blood. They would all sit around a campfire, and ask eachother questions about their deepest, darkest secrets." Niles took another drink. "With a healthy amount of alcohol, of course. Then, in the morning, if nobody had been stabbed to death in their sleep, they knew the newbies were trustworthy. So, I'll ask a question, and the person has to answer. Then, they ask somebody else. Simple!" He cleared his throat. "Ophelia, what's with your way of talking?"

"My way of talking, you ask?" Ophelia stood up as Forrest and Nina groaned. "Why, there's nothing wrong with it at all! I merely point out the true excitement in life! In reality, everything is a grand adventure of destiny!" The fire seemed to crackle and burst to accompany her speech. "If anything, you all just see the world much plainer and duller than you should!" She sat back down as Mozu watched her in amazement. She seemed to be the only one impressed. "Nyx! What's the greatest spell you've ever cast?"

Nyx scoffed at the question. "There is no such thing as a great spell. There is only one that is less horrifying and terrible than the rest. Forrest, why are you so deathly afraid of me?" Her question caused the youth to nearly leap up from the ground in surprise. "It's understandable for many to avoid me, but you take it to heights I haven't seen in ages."

"Ah, that's because…" Forrest curled his finger around his hair, staring at the ground. Everybody watched intently as he tried to think of a proper answer. "…Y-you intimidate me." There were a few moments of silence before Niles roared in laughter.

"Never thought I'd see the day when somebody got intimidated by Nyx!" Niles kept laughing. "Next thing you know, somebody will find Mozu's presence terrifying!" The country girl's face went red as a tomato as she tried to stammer a retort, only to fail to come up with anything. He was right, after all; she wasn't exactly a scary face.

Forrest cleared his throat. "So, Nina, what do you think of everyone so far?" An easy question, though it made sense for him to give one to his friend. The three of them knew eachother far better than Mozu and the others did.

"I like Mozu. She's nice." Mozu sighed in relief, hearing that Nina wasn't ready to make fun of her just yet. "Nyx is super standoffish, but also super adorable, so she gets a pass." Another "humph" from Nyx. "Rinkah is like a blank piece of paper. Honestly, what am I supposed to say?" Everybody's attention was turned to the silent woman, who had just finished downing her – wait, since when had she drank five bottles of booze!? "I don't like Niles, though."

"The sentiment's shared, sweetheart." Niles grinned as Nina grew enraged towards him once again.

"Call me 'sweetheart' again and see what happens, jerk!" Nina roared. Niles kept laughing, with Ophelia joining in. Nina's face began to soften as she too began to chuckle. Forrest and Mozu laughed nervously, and even Nyx and Rinkah showed the faintest of grins. Everybody seemed much more open and friendlier now that they had had a few good laughs and a few more drinks. It was nice. Mozu really did love these kinds of moments.

Azura

Azura glanced at the wall of the tent, hearing the laughing and shouting from nearby. "It sounds like they're getting along well." She turned back to face Corrin, who was currently looking over a map of Cheve that they had obtained from the last town they visited. The map rested on the ground, with Corrin hunched over it.

Corrin looked up at Azura, smiling warmly. "We can go hang out with them once we're done, if you want." She offered. Azura nodded in acceptance. Sure, she wasn't the most social person, but some drinks with friends sounded nice. It was even nicer that Azura considered them all friends, something which she didn't anticipate when she had first joined Corrin's merry band.

A single lantern illuminated the map as the crimson-eyed princess continued to pour over it, occasionally muttering to herself. It was like she had forgotten Azura was even there. "Any leads so far?" Azura inquired. Corrin nodded, pointing to a rather nondescript alleyway.

"The city follows a rather standard layout, all surrounding the river that runs through town." Corrin gently traced her finger over an illustration of Cheve's river. "It's surprisingly efficient in design. Then again, it was founded by knights. The military loves its efficiency." She pointed back to the alleyway. "This alley strays from the design. Not much, but enough to notice it if you're already looking for something out of place. Like it was hastily constructed after the town was made."

"So you believe that's where Cheve's resistance is hiding?" Asked Azura. "Even if that's correct, we aren't sure they'll know anything about the next clue to find Yato. We could just be wasting our time trying to find them."

"Nah. If anybody knows where the next clue is, it'll be the resistance." A slight grin formed on Corrin's face. "It's the worst-kept secret in Cheve that more than a few of its resistance members are descendants from some of its most honored families. The only reason Nohr hasn't stamped them out yet is because it would risk spurring the rest of Cheve into action. Not exactly the kind of people you'd want to make enemies out of."

"So, we'll start our search by going to the alley. What happens if your hunch is correct? Who's to say the rebels will be willing to help us out?" Azura wondered if she was being too skeptical. It wouldn't hurt to display some more optimism every now and then. She supposed it was just her fate to be a worrywart.

"Ah, you see…" Corrin began to chuckle nervously, rubbing the back of her head. She didn't finish her sentence, instead just continuing to chuckle. Azura very quickly realized that her worry was completely warranted.

"You don't have a plan for that, do you?" Azura asked bluntly. Corrin's chuckling only grew louder and more erratic. She let out a sigh. "I'm going to go talk with the others. I think a drink is just what I need right about—" She stopped talking as she turned around, realizing that the two of them weren't alone in the tent. Standing right in front of the tent flap was what appeared to be a ninja, with a cloth covering most of his face.

Almost immediately, Azura was yanked backward by Corrin, who had sprung to her feet with a knife in hand. She stood in front of Azura, holding said knife at the ready. "Azura, stay behind me." Corrin instructed. She glared unflinchingly at the man. "Kana, right?"

"Peace." The man held up his hands. "As you can see, I came unarmed." Kana's voice was softer than Corrin had expected it to be. He couldn't be any older than she was. Yet, he carried himself like he had decades of experience. He reminded her of Nyx in a way, albeit to a drastically smaller degree. "I understand you may not believe this, but our interests align in many places. As a result, it's in my best interest to help you."

Predictably, Corrin scoffed at this. "Oh, I'm sure. Well then, humor me. What could you possibly have that could benefit me?" Azura watched as the confrontation continued. She wished she could be as confident as Corrin was. Then again, she had also seen the girl when she let that confidence fade. Corrin had just as many faults as Azura did.

"Nina, Forrest, Ophelia. They're all lying to you." Kana explained. Corrin flinched in surprise for a second but quickly narrowed her eyes, keeping up her air of confidence. Showing weakness against someone like this could be fatal. Even Azura knew that. "They may be leading you to the Yato, but that road is far longer and more treacherous than they've let on." Laughing and shouting could still be heard from outside.

"My gut says I can trust them." Corrin retorted. "I tend to trust my gut."

"You only trust them based off what you know about them." Kana countered back. "You know dreadfully little. You could say the same for me, and you'd be correct. Next time you're talking to them, ask them questions about yourself that they shouldn't know the answers to. In fact, with them all getting drunk outside, now's a perfect time."

Corrin still didn't seem convinced. Azura, meanwhile, had no idea what to think. The man didn't sound like he was lying, but some people were experts at the art of misdirection. Besides, it was foolish to trust a man who hid his face. She finally spoke up. "Then what is their goal, if not to help us?" Corrin glanced back at Azura for a second before looking back to Kana.

"Do not misunderstand me. Their ultimate goal is still to help you. They too desire King Garon's demise. However, the lengths they will go to in order to achieve this goal, the measures they will take; are you truly ready to go down that path with them?"

"Maybe if you'd quit with the bullshit riddles, I'd be able to give you an actual answer." Even in a situation as tense as this, Corrin's snark seemed to never run dry.

"My apologies. I can not reveal too much. The situation is…precarious." There was a long pause before Kana spoke that last word. "However, I can see neither of you are going to be receptive to what I'm saying right now. I'll give you time to ponder what I've said." With that, he walked out of the tent flap.

Corrin ran out of the tent with Azura right behind her, the both of them looking around frantically to see where Kana went, to no avail. He seemed to have vanished almost the second he exited the tent. Corrin stopped herself from shouting in frustration since the others were so close by. "So what now, then?" Azura asked, turning to face her. "We can't just ignore what he told us. Lies or not, we need to be cautious."

Corrin took a deep breath. "I will not have anybody turning against eachother because some maniac who hides his face warned us to be careful. I'll keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Just another migraine for the night. Great." She glanced over at the group. "You go have some drinks. I…gotta finish checking out the map."

Azura knew that Corrin was lying. She could read it on her face. She just wanted everyone else to have fun and relax while she went looking for Kana. At the same time, Azura knew that she'd never be able to convince Corrin to do otherwise. "Okay." That seemed to relieve her, at the very least. She gave a nod, returning to the tent as Azura headed to the campfire.

Takumi

Good news: The Fujin Yumi still worked fine. That was a breath of relief to Takumi. He always doubted if he was ever truly worthy to wield a Divine Weapon, but now with his left eye missing, he felt more unworthy than ever. What kind of miserable whelp would be able to use such a sacred weapon after carelessly letting something like that happen? Still, when he held it, it lit up, and he was able to let arrows fly.

Bad news: Takumi couldn't land a single hit. Even as Midori kept cheering and supporting him, Takumi missed every single shot at the makeshift target she had created for him. The straw dummy sat there with a smile drawn on by Mitama as if to mock him. He fired another arrow which soared right past it, hitting a tree. There were a lot of holes in the trees behind that target.

"It's okay, I'm sure you'll hit the next one!" Midori said reassuringly, though it was clear by the tone of her voice that even she didn't believe it anymore. "Y-you just have to keep trying!" Takumi took a deep breath, feeling the hum of another arrow materializing in his hand. It was a shame that said hand couldn't stop trembling. He fired the arrow and watched it zoom past the dummy and hit yet another tree.

A roar of anger erupted as Takumi clenched his bow so tight that his knuckles went white. "Damnit, damnit! Why can't I just hit one shot!?" He brought a hand to the left side of his face, where bandages still wrapped over his head and under his chin, covering his eye socket. The lack of depth perception was clearly a major factor, but even then, he should have hit something by now. That was what bothered him even more; he knew it was all in his mind, but he couldn't stop missing.

Midori held her thumb to her chin, looking up in the air. "That's so strange. I checked up and down for signs of brain damage, but I was certain the arrow didn't lodge in that far…maybe I just didn't check the right spot?" It was rather unnerving for Takumi to see the young girl go over complex medical knowledge like she was talking about the weather.

"It's not brain damage." A sigh followed as Takumi set the Fujin Yumi on the ground, sitting down next to it. "I just…can't focus. Usually, when I take aim, I can just hold my breath and focus. Everything but the moment fades into the background. But now, I can't stop thinking about everything else. And now, with my eye…" He instinctively felt the bandages covering his eye socket. "I just can't stop and breathe long enough to find my mark."

Midori took a few moments to think about that. Then, her face lit up; a clear sign that she had struck upon an idea. She pulled her backpack off and set it in front of her, opening it up and digging through its contents. Eventually, she pulled out a steel dagger and held it out to Takumi with both hands. "Here, take it. Asugi gave it to me, in case I needed it, but I already have my yumi to protect me. You need this more than I do."

Takumi hesitated. It didn't feel right, accepting this kind of gift. But the look in Midori's eyes told him that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. He reached his hand out and wrapped it around the handle, pulling back and inspecting the blade. It showed signs of heavy wear. "You've used this before."

"Yeah." Midori looked down. "There weren't a lot of times on the way to the past that we weren't fighting or struggling." Takumi recalled what Midori had told him about their journey through time.

_"There was this super-duper smart guy named Dwyer, who studied these things called Deeprealms. Think of them like mini-worlds, scattered through this thing called the Astral Plane. I'll save all the science behind it since it's a headache and a half to understand. Anyways, time flows differently there. One hour in one Deeprealm might only be a second here, or the vice-versa. Dwyer figured out that if you went through the right Deeprealms, you could end up twisting and bending time until you were actually going backwards."_

"You never told me what happened to Dwyer, you know." Takumi pointed out. He felt a twinge of guilt shoot through him as he watched Midori flinch. "I'm sorry. You don't have to explain if you don't want to."

"…We were all gonna go together. There were a lot more of us, originally." Midori's hands curled into fists. "But there was a…schism. Some of us wanted to do different things, or use different methods. Eventually, disagreements broke out into fighting. After all, messing with the past is really dangerous." She took a shaky breath. "Dwyer got caught in the crossfire. He just wanted everyone to work together, but now…now he's gone."

Takumi looked towards the forest, watching the leaves gently rustle in the wind. The sun was starting to go down. Soon enough, they'd need to head back to meet up with the others. After all, he had promised that if Oboro or Hinata didn't appear within a week, he'd leave with them to go see Ryoma and tell him what they told Takumi. A week had passed, and neither of them had shown up. Takumi didn't want to dwell on what that meant. His mind was full of enough bad memories as it was.

"So, you still haven't told us where Ryoma is." Midori mentioned, staring at the horizon as well. "Do you finally trust us enough to tell us? It goes both ways, you know."

Takumi looked at Midori once again. She had to grow up fast; that much was certain. The way she talked, the way she carried herself, the things she knew, they all pointed to a girl who was robbed of the childhood she deserved. He sympathized for her. He and his own siblings had to grow up fast too, once father and Corrin had been stolen from them. "Alright, I'll tell you."

Felicia

Her job was really simple. If someone knocked on the door, she'd ask through the door how their day was. If the answer was "A bit shit, but I've had worse," she'd open the door. If they said anything else, she'd say nothing else and make sure that door was locked tight. Of course, nobody ever told her she'd have to deal with a familiar face on the other end.

Knock knock. She opened the peephole. "Hello! How was your day?" She asked cheerily. Silence came from the other end. Perhaps they didn't hear her?" Hello! How was your day?" She asked again.

"A bit more interesting, hearing your voice." No. There was no way. "How're your hair-combing skills? Hopefully better than when you last used them on me." Yep, that was Corrin alright. What was she supposed to do? She didn't have any reason to not trust Corrin, but she knew she was supposed to follow her orders to the letter!

Felicia didn't have much time to ponder on what to do, as a loud bang came from the other side. Another one. And another after that. As Felicia took a few steps backward, the door burst open, with Rinkah wielding a club now standing in the doorway. Corrin walked past her, with Azura following behind. "That was your plan in case they didn't let us in?" The blue-haired princess asked. "Sorry, Felicia." The three of them walked right past the pink-haired maid.

"H-hey, where do you think you're going!" Felicia chased after them, but they were already descending down the stairwell and into the basement of the building. Oh man, she was gonna be in so much trouble for this!

"That kind of tactic may not work out too well." A woman's voice became audible as the group entered the basement. "After all, we have to imagine that there's gonna be more guards than usual, considering the stuff we stole the other night."

"Fair enough. Still, I—" The conversation abruptly ceased as Corrin and the others were noticed. A few rebels were in the basement, all silent as well. In the center of the room, standing around a map of the town, were Scarlet, the leader of Cheve's resistance, and Felicia's new lord to look after. The High Prince of Hoshido, Ryoma. He looked at Corrin. She looked back. Felicia looked like she was about to pass out. The silence was deafening.

"Big brother. It's good to see you." A hint of a smile formed on Corrin's face. Azura, meanwhile, looked rather worried.

"It's good to see you both. I was wondering when you'd stop by Cheve." Ryoma looked back to the map, his smile significantly larger than Corrin's. "Come, help us with our newest strategy. We could use your perspective." It seemed he had expected company.

Velouria

Ooh, a rope! All torn and tattered, slightly moldy from the water that had been dripping onto it from the ceiling. A perfect treasure. "Look what I found, Siegbert!" She displayed the treasure proudly to her fiancé, who was currently holding Lord Trayon by his collar, pushing him against the wall.

Siegbert turned to look at it, smiling. "That's gotta be one of the best ones yet. If only because it isn't part of a living thing." He teased, before looking back to Trayon. Velouria puffed her cheeks, pouting. It was just like him to tease her about things she got excited about. If anybody else did that, she'd be furious, but she just couldn't stay mad at him. She knew he never said it to be rude.

"U-u-unhand me this instant!" Trayon shrieked, his pale face having shrunk and twisted into a grimace. "I am a prestigious nobleman from an honored house, and—"

"And it's truly a shame that you're the heir to its name. I sincerely hope you manage not to ruin it before you die." Siegbert slammed him against the wall again. "The thief that you so carelessly let escape. What did she steal from you, and where did she go?"

"She stole my prized locket! A family heirloom that went back generation upon generation! Honestly, I don't understand why you insist on treating me so harshly, we're on the same side!"

"Lord Trayon, with all due respect I doubt she cared one bit about your locket. There's something you're not telling me." Siegbert spoke with a blunt honesty that Velouria could just swoon over. "I suggest you do. You may be a nobleman, but Lord Xander has given me rather generous autonomy. I'm sure I could get away with much more than just grabbing you by the collar. So, prove to me that we're on the same side and tell me what I need to know."

Trayon squealed like a mouse. Velouria liked mice. They were the best snacks. "Fine, fine! It was what was in the locket that mattered! Our family was entrusted with a secret that led to a great treasure! When she stole the locket, she stole the secret as well!"

"Let me guess." Siegbert's voice grew quiet. "The path to the Yato?"

"H-how did you—"

"What did it say?" Siegbert interrupted. After a few seconds of silence in response, he slammed Trayon against the wall one last time. "That's the last time I'll ask politely."

"I-it was a clue that pointed to Cheve! That's where the next part of the puzzle is hidden! That's all I know; we were never supposed to pursue the other clues, just guard this one!"

Siegbert let go of Trayon, causing the man to fall to the floor, wincing in pain. "Thank you for your help. I assure you, your deeds will not go unnoticed by the Royal Family." He turned around and began to walk out of the lord's room. "Come on Velouria, we don't have any time to waste." The wolfskin girl nodded, taking the string with her.

"Damn royals, thinking they can get away with whatever they want…" Trayon muttered. Siegbert stopped, and so Velouria stopped too. The prince turned his head just enough so that Trayon could see one of his eyes.

"If you're so upset with your situation, put in the initiative to change it. Even those rebels in Cheve have more of a spine than you do when it comes to that. If you can't back up your words with action, they become as empty as your own drive to act upon them." And with that, the two of them resumed walking, leaving the room.


	15. Let me Leave

Corrin

After running over the strategy that Ryoma had planned out and finding it to be rather decent on the whole, Ryoma guided her to a more private area of the resistance's underground HQ. She had to admit, the whole operation was impressive. People running left and right, to and fro, creating a feeling of chaos and disorder. However, a keen eye would notice that everything had a rhythm to it, a purpose. It wasn't chaos, it was efficiency.

Ryoma led her past the crowded hallways and into a quiet storage room, shutting the steel door behind them. The room would have been pitch-black, if not for the single lantern atop a stack of crates that kept it decently lit. Corrin found a wall to lean against and crossed her arms. "You said you expected me to come here. How did you know?" She asked.

"I knew you were in Nohr, and I knew you'd eventually turn to the Cheve resistance at some point." Ryoma explained. "So I decided to assist them with their endeavors, at least until you inevitably arrived. It seems my plan paid off." Something about the calm way he described his plan pissed Corrin off. She couldn't explain why.

"Well, you found me, Ryoma. Let me guess; you're gonna try to drag me back home—" She stopped herself. "Back to Hoshido?" She corrected. Shirasagi wasn't home. She just…she just misspoke.

"I'm glad you consider Shirasagi home." Ryoma smiled despite Corrin's scowl. "And yes, if you want to phrase it that way. Though, I won't force you." He paused for a moment, seemingly gauging Corrin's face reaction. "We all miss you, Corrin. Azura as well."

"Azura came with me because she recognized the danger she was in." Corrin said, her scowl still remaining. "Or do you really think that, with what happened at the gala, nobody would try to go after her? She's still Nohrian, no matter how long she stayed in Hoshido!"

"Yet you don't believe yourself to be truly Hoshidan because of your upbringing in Nohr." Ryoma pointed out. Corrin opened her mouth to speak but promptly shut it, looking away. Damn him for always having to point these kinds of things out.

"…How is everyone?" Corrin asked quietly. Sure, she wanted to shift the subject away from her own faults, but she also just wanted to know how everybody back in Shirasagi was holding up. It wasn't like they had been sending letters.

"We've all been busy with the war effort. Before I left for Cheve, mother was preparing an assignment for Takumi. Hinoka's been assigned to her personal guard, for the time being. Though, I'm not sure how much has changed since then." Ryoma explained. "Mother took on the role of commanding the armies with the help of Yukimura, the royal tactician. She has a brilliant mind, but I have no doubt that she loathes every second of it."

Corrin thought to mention Sakura but decided against it. Even now, just bringing her up was enough to make her heart ache. "So, why are Flora and Felicia with you? Wouldn't Saizo and Kagero make more sense for an operation like this?"

"Saizo and Kagero are here as well. I brought Flora and Felicia here because of you." Corrin raised an eyebrow at that part. "Or, more specifically, Rinkah." Corrin's other eyebrow raised to match it, creating an expression of confusion. "Corrin, they know who she is. Where she came from."

There was a long pause following Ryoma's revelation. Corrin stared at him, her eyes wide. "Ryoma…is there somebody waiting for her? Family, or a friend, or…anyone?" She needed to know. She had to know if her friend still had a past life to go back to.

"Yes. She indeed does have family." Ryoma closed his eyes, taking a breath. "Flora and Felicia told me the story. Rinkah's situation isn't too different from your own, oddly enough." That made Corrin curious. Ryoma opened his eyes, looking right at her. "She was the daughter of the chieftain of the Flame Tribe, a neutral country that resides in a no man's land between Nohr and Hoshido, nearby a volcano. The girls don't know too much about the situation; they were only children at the time. However, apparently there was a dispute between the Flame and Ice Tribes. We were aware this conflict ended in violence, however what we did not learn was that Rinkah was stolen away."

"Stolen? By the Ice Tribe?" Corrin repeated. Ryoma nodded his head. "So that's why Uncle Shura found her in a snowbank…" She muttered. Ryoma looked at her, a bit confused. "Shura was my caretaker, when I was little. Taught me everything I know. Took in Niles and Rinkah as well. I called him 'Uncle' once when I was a kid, because I learned that sometimes people would use the name for someone they were closer to, even if they weren't related. It just kinda…stuck. Though, I'm the only one who still calls him that." Corrin chuckled at that last part, remembering when Niles and Rinkah grew out of it, but she kept using it anyways.

"The survivor of Kohga?" That was the whole reason Corrin and the others had been taken to Hoshido in the first place. It made sense that Ryoma would be interested. "Do you know where he is now?"

Corrin shook her head. "We searched for him when we got back to Windmire, but he just…never showed. It's not like him. Sometimes I wonder if he went out looking for us, or if he just moved on…" Or if something horrible happened to him. Corrin couldn't bear to voice the possibility.

"I see. The Ice Tribe apparently wished to use Rinkah as a political prisoner, but for whatever reason, the Flame Tribe refused to make any offers for her freedom. Eventually, they realized they had no use for her. Flora and Felicia don't know what came of her, but judging by your story, they likely left her for dead in the snow." Hearing that took Corrin by surprise. How could somebody just let their daughter stay in the land of an enemy for so long and do nothing to save her? "If my estimation of the time is correct, then she couldn't have been older than a few years when she was kidnapped."

"A few years? But what would mean…" Corrin was already almost a teenager when Rinkah arrived. "She would have spent most of her childhood growing up in captivity. Holy hell…" Corrin looked down at the floor. "I always knew there was something weird about her, but I never realized it could've been because of something like that."

"Flora and Felicia should have already filled Rinkah in on the details." Ryoma walked over to the door of the storage room. "If she wants it, I'll have Saizo and Kagero escort her to the Flame Tribe. If not, I imagine she'll continue to stay with you. I've yet to tell the Flame Tribe about her existence. It would be cruel to tell them about her, only for her to refuse to go home. I trust you have no issues with this?"

As Ryoma opened the door and stepped out, Corrin stood up straight and followed behind. "No. I've got no problem at all." What was she supposed to do? Rinkah was like family to her. They and Niles had spent years together. She didn't want to see Rinkah leave. But if…but if Rinkah really did have family waiting for her, a home that would accept her…if that made her happy, who was she to deny that, or even regret that?

The halls of the resistance headquarters seemed less cluttered this time around. There was less movement, fewer people. Perhaps things were winding down for a brief moment. Either way, it allowed Corrin some more time to dwell on current events without having to worry about bumping into someone. After some time walking around, the two of them returned to the main room, seeing Rinkah standing against a stone pillar with Flora and Felicia sitting down at one of the tables. They looked up at Ryoma, and Rinkah glanced at Corrin.

"Hello, Lord Ryoma." Flora greeted, standing up. It seemed she was injured, as when she got up, she tried to hide a wince, gently clutching her stomach. Ryoma seemed to notice this but said nothing. "We've explained the situation to Rinkah."

"Including the part where your people kidnapped her?" Corrin made sure her words would hit as hard as they could. Flora didn't display any change in emotion, but Felicia visibly winced. "I'm surprised she hasn't caved either of your faces in."

Flora looked right at Corrin. "We were only children when it happened. Do you expect that either of us would have been able to do anything about it?" The faintest hint of anger was present in Flora's tone, but she hid it masterfully. Just as Corrin was about to speak again, a loud  _thump_  interrupted her. She and the others stared at Rinkah, who had slammed the side of her fist against the pillar she was standing in front of.

"Enough." Rinkah wasn't very loud, but her voice carried a gravity that ensured everybody knew to listen up. She looked at Ryoma. "Thank you, but no." And with that, she went silent again.

"Rinkah, you don't have to—" Corrin began to speak, but her friend shot her a glare that told her that there wasn't going to be any more discussion on the matter. She looked at the others, seeing that they had gotten the message as well. Rinkah was going to stay. Corrin knew better than to ask why; the girl hid her inner thoughts under lock and key, and wouldn't reveal them to anyone.

A voice emanated from a nearby doorway. "You guys done with that?" Corrin looked over and saw the blonde woman from before standing there. "Because if so, I'd like to know why exactly you're here." She walked up to Corrin and held out her hand. "Name's Scarlet. Any friend of Ryoma's is a friend of mine."

Corrin accepted the handshake, feeling how surprisingly tight Scarlet's grip was. "Likewise. I'm Corrin, but you probably already know that. I'm here with an admittedly super vague question that I was hoping you could help answer."

"Well, I won't know until you ask." Scarlet had an ever-present smile on her face, one that almost made her seem cocky, but had a down-to-earth aspect to it that prevented it. Her eyes had a natural piercing gaze to them, but they didn't feel accusatory in that way. More…curious.

"Well, it's about a weapon." Corrin began to explain. "I got a lead about it, and that lead had me come over here. I supposed that if anybody would both have an idea of the next step  _and_  not want to arrest me, it'd be you guys. It's called the Yato." Scarlet's smile almost instantly faded, and Corrin could swear her face managed to go a shade paler than the already pale complexion she and most Nohrians had.

"And where the hell did you hear that name?" Scarlet asked. Now, her eyes had that accusatory look to them. "I've only heard one other person ever say that to me, and it was my dad."

"So you know where it is?" Corrin asked, her curiosity rapidly rising. Finally, a solid break! She just needed to get Scarlet to tell her what she needed to know.

"Nope, I don't have a single clue." Scarlet shrugged, sitting down at one of the tables. Corrin refrained from letting her disappointment show, though she had a feeling Scarlet had noticed it regardless. "But, I know a place where you can find out more about it."

"Alright Scarlet, I'm not a novice when it comes to this kind of stuff. What's the catch?" Corrin crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. She knew all too well that nobody in their right mind would just hand over such valuable information without asking for something in return.

Scarlet just laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna make you do a handstand or anything. I just wanna know who told you about it." Corrin hesitated. Would it be a good idea to tell Scarlet about Nina and the others? "My dad told me that he could count the number of families in Nohr that were aware of Yato on one hand. One of those families is the Nohrian Royal Family." Scarlet's voice went down to a whisper. "You aren't in cahoots with them, right? I'm not sure if you could tell, but we aren't exactly too fond of them around here."

"Scarlet." Ryoma interrupted the exchange. "You can trust Corrin. She has no reason to side with the Nohrian royals. I give you my word that her intentions are pure." Well, as pure as they could be for a thief. Corrin had to hide a smile as the thought went through her mind. "Although, I'm curious as what this Yato is, exactly. The name sounds Hoshidan in origin."

Scarlet laughed once again. "Alright Ryoma, I'll trust her. And Yato doesn't get its name from Hoshido. Hoshido probably got its naming conventions from whoever made the Yato. I don't know a lot, but I know that it's basically older than everyone in this town combined, and then some."

"It's a Divine Weapon, apparently." Corrin explained to Ryoma. "It's supposed to be the strongest out of all of them if my source is telling the truth."

"Your source knows quite a bit." Scarlet commented. "My dad told me the story once I came of age. Apparently, back when Hoshido and Nohr were just starting out, and already at war, the Dawn and Dusk Dragons were still around to lead them." The Dawn Dragon and the Dusk Dragon. The two patron deities of Hoshido and Nohr, respectively. Though, they were so ancient that they were regarded more as cultural symbols.

Scarlet went on. "So, the war seemed to never end, because these two dragons and the countries they led were on equal footing in just about every way. A third dragon eventually intervened and used his own power to decide the fate of the war. His name's been lost to time, but his creations weren't. He was the one who made the Divine Weapons, so that both Nohr and Hoshido could have their own symbols of strength. The Yato was supposed to be an arbiter, which a chosen hero would wield in order to decide which kingdom deserved its place at the top."

"But that didn't happen." Ryoma presumed. "After all, both kingdoms are still here."

Scarlet snapped her finger. "Exactly. Neither kingdom wanted to risk being the one that bit the dust, so they both worked together to kill that chosen hero and hide Yato for good. It wasn't like they could destroy it since it was a Divine Weapon and all. But, I guess someone somewhere got all remorseful about it, so they hid clues to its location all across the continent. For whatever reason, my great-great-great-however many 'great's ancestor was given one of these clues, to protect."

"And that clue was…?" Corrin asked, tapping her foot on the ground impatiently. The story was certainly interesting, but she was more interested in the results. The answer.

"Stare into the abyss, and your answer shall be received." Scarlet answered. "That's the phrase that every firstborn child of my family has to memorize. We aren't told to give it much thought since we're supposed to be guarding the path and not following it, but I figured out pretty quick what it's referring to."

Corrin filled in the blank rather quickly. What other abyss was there that would be a good place to hide the next clue? "The Bottomless Canyon?" A massive crag in the earth that separated Nohr from Hoshido. It didn't get its name for hyperbole's sake either; no recorded proof of there being a bottom had ever been created. Hoshidan religious texts often cited it as a gateway to another realm, a world of the mystical. Nohrian scripture, meanwhile, gave it a rather blunt name. The gateway to hell.

"Only place I could think of that suits the description." Scarlet shrugged again. "Anyways, that's all I know."

Corrin turned to face Rinkah. "Where's Azura?"

"Outside, keeping watch." She answered.

"Right, let's go." She began to head to the door, before stopping for a brief moment. "Thanks, Scarlet." As she started moving again, she felt a grip on her arm.

"I'm coming with you." Ryoma stated firmly, though not as firmly as his grasp on Corrin's arm.

"Oh hell no you aren't." Corrin whipped around to face her older brother. "You're staying here, and fighting with the rebels. Or you're gonna go fight at the border. Or whatever a High Prince does during wartime. Unlike me, you don't get to run away from your problems."

"Corrin, you aren't running away, you're—"

"Then let me leave." Perhaps it was a selfish time to set an ultimatum, but Corrin would be damned if she didn't leave with the last word. She was too stubborn to have it any other way. "Let me go help in the way I know best."

Ryoma paused for a good long while, but eventually let Corrin's arm go. "Don't die out there, little sister."

Corrin looked back at Ryoma, any hint of a grin or smile now gone. The care in his voice, the sympathy…it was more like he was  _pleading_  with her. "I won't, big brother." She turned around, and with Rinkah at her side, walked out of the resistance headquarters.

Selena

Glug, glug, glug. A sigh escaped Soleil's mouth as she slammed her umpteenth bottle of beer onto the tavern counter. "Man, that's the stuuuuuff…" She rested her head on the counter, much to the annoyance of Selena and the tavern keeper. The mercenary definitely had a knack for fighting, but Selena couldn't stand her upbeat attitude and her love for alcohol. Why did Siegbert have to put her in charge of making sure the girl didn't pass out in an alley somewhere?

"I don't think I've ever seen someone drink as much or as rudely as you do, Soleil." Selena insulted, fishing some money out of Soleil's outfit for the drink and setting it on the counter. "C'mon, we have to head out by sunrise, or we're never gonna catch up to Corrin. That's what Siegbert said."

"Siegbert can stuff it, that's what I think…" Soleil murmured, her cheek smudged against the counter. "Stupid Siegbert, always ordering me around. Who does he think he is? Soleil do this. Soleil do that. Soleil, you should stop drinking so much, it's a bad habit." It sounded like Siegbert was looking out for her, and she just wasn't grateful enough to recognize that. "Soleil, make sure you don't get too drunk in front of the others, you might let something slip. Blah blah blah. I can use whatever goddamn coping mechanism I want, in front of whoever I want, thank you very much!"

"Wait, what? What would you have to hide?" Selena raised an eyebrow. Siegbert definitely looked like the type to keep secrets, but she couldn't imagine he'd share them with Soleil. Maybe his fiancé, who followed him around like a lost puppy, but definitely not Soleil.

"Doesn't even matter." Soleil's words were becoming more slurred. "Nothin matters. I jush…can't go back…Caeldori…" The next sound that came out from Soleil's mouth was a gentle snore, irritating Selena even more. She slapped the girl's face a few times to see if that would wake her up, but alas, she was out cold.

A few minutes later, Selena was walking through the streets of the small town the group had stopped in, Soleil slung over her shoulder. "Damnit, you moron!" She grunted under the girl's weight. "You're really friggin heavy for how you look!" As she kept walking, Soleil's last words echoed in her mind. "Caeldori…a friend of hers?" She asked herself. "It's a nice name…." She found herself stopping and looking up at the night sky, noticing it was one of the rare times when the clouds were mostly parted, and one could see the constellations above.

"Man, you sure are missing out…" Selena mumbled to the unconscious Soleil. "Because you drank so much, you get to miss a view like this. Sounds like Siegbert's more right than you give him credit for." She resumed walking, now looking ahead of her once again.

Kana

"I assume she didn't heed your warning, then." Shigure dryly remarked as he and Kana continued on the path to Cheve. "Just remember, you're the one who thought that concealing our identities would prove useful."

"You say that like telling the truth would have lent us any more credibility, instead of just making me look like a madman." Kana grinned slightly, though it was hidden under the blue cloth obscuring his mouth and nose. As he and Shigure kept walking down the trail, he eventually began to hear something odd. He stopped, holding his hand in front of his friend to indicate that he needed to stop as well. With them both being silent, Kana strained his ears and listened out for the noise. It sounded like…laughter?

Kana and Shigure began to slowly head towards the noise, doing their best to remain silent. This was far easier for the former, but Shigure still made an effort. Eventually, the two of them found themselves in the forest brush, looking out into a clearing where a lone woman stood. She stuck out like a sore thumb among the dense green and brown of the forest with her pink and blue hair.

"Wasn't it the funniest!? Oh man, I keep forgetting just how hilarious Lord Xander was at times!" The two of them grew more alert at the mention of the familiar name. "Always telling me who I could and couldn't kill, saying that it wasn't right to stab any of the maids…you know, when I think about it…" Her grip tightened around the blade she was carrying. "Remembering it pisses me off."

Kana's eyes widened as he got a good look at the weapon. The cracked, broken blade, the hilt with an eye…Ganglari. Shigure looked to him as if to ask if they should intervene. Kana shook his head. He knew what kind of power that blade held. It would be suicide for them right now.

"…Hm? What's that, Hans?" She held the blade close to her ear as it hummed with energy. "The Bottomless Canyon? Why do I need to go there?" She paused, as if listening to someone. "Ganglari's sibling, you say…of course, I'll go protect it. It's the least I can do! Plus, it gives me another opportunity to carve some more people up!" She giggled with glee, walking away from the two of them.

Once she was far enough away, Shigure whispered to Kana. "You don't think…" Kana didn't need to hear the last part of that sentence. There was no way that wouldn't be related to Corrin in some kind of way. And if the woman was telling the truth about "Ganglari's sibling", and if it was what Kana thought it was…they needed to make sure they were there when she arrived.

"Looks like we have a new destination, Shigure. Up for some extra walking?" They'd have to head there without accidentally running into that woman in the process. A tricky obstacle. Shigure wasn't deterred by this, and neither was Kana.

"Of course, Kana. After you."


	16. Glad to Help

Mozu

The closer they all got to the border, the more they'd encounter the Faceless. Giant, hulking monstrosities, with sickly green skin, arms that could crush bound by chains that were easily snapped, and masks covered in holes that seemed to just reveal empty black voids, rather than the face supposedly underneath. They were discovered by Nohrian dark mages and became infamous for their use in Nohrian warfare. They would be summoned and deployed en masse to enemy territory, left to their own devices. Civilian damage was always high, but so were enemy casualties. A ruthless tactic for a ruthless war machine.

Mozu had encountered a few Faceless in her life, mostly in the depths of the forests around her village. She had never managed to kill one and always had to flee to the village and report to the more trained residents what she had found. Bears and boars were easy prey; she could predict their movements, understand their thought processes, and exploit their weaknesses. Faceless seemed to have none of these. They were mindless killing machines that only had two instincts: kill and destroy.

As a result of this, it surprised Mozu immensely when she was able to dispatch one rather easily. Her spear sunk into its neck, causing it to let out a guttural roar of pain. With a twist and a tug, her spear came out, ripping the monster's neck open. She had to step out of the way to avoid getting crushed as it collapsed to the ground, dead. She stopped and looked at it, the adrenaline still rushing through her body. "I…did it?" She asked hesitantly. Her face lit up, an overjoyed smile forming. "I did it!" She practically jumped for joy, before remembering that there were still many more throughout the forest.

Mozu sprinted off to try and find any of the others. They had all gotten separated after encountering a gargantuan horde of the beasts. Why there were so many in one place, Mozu wasn't sure. In all likelihood, it was simply a case of circumstance and a healthy dose of bad luck. Whatever the cause, the effect was clear; everybody was in danger, including Mozu.

Voices could be heard nearby, urging Mozu to hurry ahead. Maybe it was one of the others! Nina, or Nyx, or Niles, or anyone. But as she emerged through the thick bushes and trees, what she saw certainly wasn't what she expected. It was a house. Wait, not just one house. Multiple houses. A town, and a well-populated one, judging by the number of people walking around. As her eyes drifted up, she saw a large structure looming in the distance. The Nohrian border wall.

Eyes were already being drawn to Mozu, shaking and panting, the dark, almost black blood of a Faceless splattered on her cheek and coating the tip of the spear she still held. She spotted what had to be a Nohrian soldier wearing large, black armor, as well as another one, considerably smaller but wearing armor that was similar in make. She didn't have time to be picky about the help she got, especially when a town was in danger from the Faceless horde.

Mozu waved at the two soldiers with one hand, putting the other to her mouth and cupping it in an attempt to make her voice more easily heard. "FACELESS! FACELESS, IN THE FOREST!" The civilians who happened to be nearby heard the message as well, and all began panicking and fleeing in the opposite direction. The two soldiers began to sprint, soon catching up to Mozu.

The first one had dark skin and blonde hair. A large, threatening scar was visible on his forehead, above one of his green eyes. An intimidating figure to be sure, especially with the large spear in his right hand, and even larger shield in his left. "You said Faceless?" He asked with a gruff, low voice. Mozu nodded, pointing back towards the forest. "My friends, I got separated from them. I'm worried they might be in trouble!"

"Well, of course they're in trouble, you dolt!" The other soldier, a rather beautiful woman, harshly said. She had long, blonde hair that went all the way down to her hips, and a large white bow tying it together behind her head. Despite her beautiful appearance, she angrily scratched at her armor. "I swear to the gods Benny, you need to let me wear my normal clothes again! This stuff hurts to move in!"

"You get used to it." Benny replied melancholically, seemingly unaffected by the girl's brutish behavior. "Besides, if you had worn your normal clothes, you would have been killed seven times over in the span of a month. So no Charlotte, you still can't wear your normal clothes." The girl groaned once again. "Now let's go find those Faceless." He looked down at Mozu. "And your friends."

The gentleness and kindness that Benny spoke with did not go unnoticed by Mozu. It was strange; one seemed cruel but was kind, and the other was seemingly the exact opposite. They made an interesting pair. Benny charged into the forest, with Charlotte groaning again before following after him with a large axe in hand. Mozu chased after them, not wanting to be useless in the fight. The last thing she wanted was to not be able to help or potentially even make things worse.

After a few minutes of running behind Benny and Charlotte, Mozu finally spotted Corrin taking on three Faceless by herself. She had already taken a blow or two, judging by the cut on her cheek. The two Nohrian soldiers began to engage the foes, much to the princess's surprise. Mozu gave a nod, indicating that they could be trusted, at least for the time being.

Corrin seemed relieved to hear that, but just as she seemed to calm down, her eyes widened. "LOOK OUT!" She shouted. Mozu turned around, just in time to see the massive fist of a Faceless fly right at her. The fist hit her right in the head, and she went out cold.

Laslow

"Well, the trail's getting warmer." Selena sat down at the table that Laslow and Odin were located at, clearly wanting to stay as far away from the drunk-out-of-her-mind Soleil as possible. "Tons of reports of theft, mostly from snooty rich people. Corrin and her gang have been through here, and recently enough for the rich people to still be mad about losing basically a drop in the bucket."

The tavern was much livelier than the one from the last town, with local residents filling the tables and barmaid wasting no time in giving them the drinks they desired. A rather cute brunette arrived at the table with a tray of drinks, setting them down on the table. Laslow looked up at her and gave what he felt was an appropriately dashing wink and smile. The recipient seemed rather pleased, giving a warm smile back before dashing off to serve another table. He was rather satisfied with his work.

"You know that they're paid to be nice to you, right?" Selena reminded, crossing her arms. Laslow knew that she was always annoyed by his philandering, but he just couldn't help it. Any beautiful woman was guaranteed his attention, and his attention often meant his affection.

"Yet I never require any payment for my compliments. That's how I win them over." Laslow retorted, giving another wink, this time to the unimpressed Selena. Instead of dignifying him with a response, she looked over to Odin, who was watching Soleil rather intently.

"You've been uncharacteristically silent, Odin." Selena pointed out, snapping Odin out of his concentration. "You can't tell me that the drunken mess over there caught your fancy." Laslow found the way Selena spoke about Soleil to be rather harsh. So what if she preferred to drown her sorrows?

"What? Why of course not! A chosen hero like me mustn't be tempted by any woman!" Odin insisted with one of his usual overdramatic speeches. "It's just…" He sighed. "She seems familiar, in a way. I couldn't quite put my finger on it until you and Laslow started talking about his philandering again." Laslow blinked in surprise. What would he have to do with it? "She's remarkably similar to you."

Laslow blinked again. "Wait, excuse me!?" He shouted, loud enough for Selena to harshly shush him. He paused, lowering his voice. "I don't think I'm very similar to her. I can't understand the resemblance."

"You know, Odin has a point…" Selena glanced at Soleil yet again. "She loves hitting on girls, just like you do. Though, from what I've seen in my time babysitting her on her drinking binges, she's much more successful at it." That was enough to severely deflate Laslow's ego. "Plus, she's got pink hair, just like your mother does."

"She does, doesn't she?" Laslow felt particularly nostalgic at the mention of his mother. "I wonder if she's doing alright…" His brows furrowed to compliment the frown forming on his face.

"I'm sure she is. Just because the process failed for us, doesn't mean for certain it did with the others." Odin tried to stay positive about the whole ordeal. Just as he was about to say more, Selena shushed him. "What? I'm talking quietly about it, aren't I?"

Selena peered around, her gaze narrowing. "I feel like we're being watched…" As if on cue, she suddenly pointed behind Laslow. He turned around to see what she was pointing at, only to see a certain Wolfskin girl right behind him. Laslow couldn't even jump in terror before she leaned down, her face inches away from his own.

"Uhh…hello, Velouria." Laslow nervously greeted. She was still staring directly into his eyes, so close that he could feel her breath on him. Then, she began to sniff. Her face drifted to the top of his head, sniffing his hair. Then down to his neck, giving another sniff. After a few more sniffs, she seemed satisfied, pulling away and allowing Laslow to finally breathe.

"You smell like…women." Velouria said decidedly. "But not strongly. It's as if…multiple women got close to you for a brief moment, then immediately turned tail and ran." Selena stifled a giggle upon hearing that. Odin just gave a dopey grin. Laslow almost grew frustrated, but upon seeing how happy his two closest friends were, he couldn't help but smile along.

"Why don't you sit down with us?" Selena suggested. "I'm sure there's an empty chair somewhere, and there's room at the table. We can share some drinks." It confused Laslow even more that Selena was so friendly to Velouria of all people. She seemed like the kind of person she despised the most; rude, nosy, and completely unaware of personal space.

Velouria was surprisingly open to this, searching through the tavern before returning with a wooden chair. She placed it next to the table and sat down as Odin passed her a drink. She grabbed it and gave it a tentative sniff, recoiling at the smell. "Ah, I guess the smell of alcohol would be more extreme for you." Laslow said. With her heightened senses, it was no wonder that Velouria seemed so disgusted by the mere smell of the drink.

Selena leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table and holding her chin in her hands. "So, Velouria, I gotta know. How did you and Siegbert meet? It's gotta be a juicy story, right? The dashing royal soldier and the beautiful Wolfskin girl, and their fated meeting!" It sounded something like Odin would say. Perhaps he was rubbing off on her.

"Oh, it was nothing so grand and elegant." Velouria said sheepishly. "In all honesty, it wasn't a very lovely time. I met Siegbert the same day I lost my father." There was some silence after that as the trio took in what she had just said. "The pack I was a part of were being attacked by brigands. They burned down our homes, slaughtered my friends." She looked down at the table. "When I lost my father, and the brigands were about to kill me too, I thought my whole world had ended. There was nothing else for me to care about. I didn't even fight back."

"Gods, Velouria…" Laslow felt sick to his stomach just imagining it. He knew that Wolfskin were fierce fighters, so the brigands that had attacked Velouria's home must have been especially ruthless.

"Just as I was about to suffer the same fate as my father, Siegbert arrived. He fought back. He and the soldiers he was with had no reason to save me. Everyone else was already gone. He could've lost his life fighting the brigands. But, he did it anyways. He told me to stand up and fight." Velouria stopped, taking a breath. She looked like she was fighting back tears. "After we drove the brigands off, I realized I had nowhere to go. Siegbert invited me to join him and his soldiers. I had a reason to fight again, a reason to live. It's…it's hard not to fall for a man who does so much for you and asks for nothing in return."

"I'm glad you have Siegbert." Laslow said sympathetically. "He sounds like a wonderful person." He honestly never would have imagined him to be so kind. The Siegbert he had seen was laser-focused on the mission at hand and didn't tend to socialize much. That was why he was the only member of the group not in the tavern. If he didn't have Velouria as his fiancé, Laslow would've written him off early on as a no-nonsense military drone.

Velouria nodded, giving a nervous smile. She looked over at Odin's empty beer glass and grabbed it, inspecting it rather intently. "I think I might need to add this to my treasure collection!" A drop of alcohol slid down the side, giving it a rather unflattering look but she seemed overjoyed at the mere prospect of having it to herself.

She was certainly an interesting girl. Then again, Laslow could say the same about Siegbert and Soleil. The three of them were odd, perplexingly so. Even beyond their strange quirks, it felt to Laslow like there was still something underneath the surface that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Perhaps they had their own shared past, not too unlike the past he shared with Selena and Odin. Though, if that was the case, he certainly wanted to know what kind of past it was.

Mozu

A sharp inhale of breath accompanied eyes fluttering open. What followed immediately afterward was a sharp pain spiking through Mozu's skull, causing her to grunt in pain as she sat up on the bed she was in. She looked around, realizing that she didn't recognize the room she was in. She did, however, recognize the person standing in front of the door. "B-Benny, right?" She asked, her voice dry. He looked over at her, realizing she was awake. He fished through his belt, grabbing a water jug that was hanging on the side.

Benny walked over to Mozu, handing her the water, which she gratefully accepted and guzzled down. After the jug was emptied, she handed it back. "Thank you." She told him, getting a nod back. Her head was still pulsing with pain, and her discomfort was visible.

"You got hit hard by the Faceless. The healer said there could be a concussion, and that you shouldn't strain yourself for a few days." Benny explained. So, she was in some kind of infirmary. "Your friends are alright. They're staying in some other rooms in the barracks. You're the only one who was injured substantially." Hearing that was like taking a load off her back. She let out a sigh of relief. "You care about them a lot, don't you?"

"Yeah." Mozu smiled. "They're like family to me." She attempted to get off the bed, but Benny stopped her, gently placing his gloved hands on her shoulders. "I just wanna let them know I'm alright. It won't take long."

"You need to rest." Benny said, slowly pushing her shoulders so she was laying back down. "I'll let them know you're awake. Last I checked though, they were pretty busy. Looking over one of our maps." Mozu froze. Did he find out who they were by eavesdropping? "It's a dangerous time to be crossing the border, you know. What, with the war and all."

"O-oh, we'll be fine! We're just heading to Izumo. Safest place to be in times like this!" The dark-haired girl laughed nervously. "Sure, it'll be a dangerous journey, but you saw how we handled those Faceless."

"I'll give you that." Benny began to head to the door. He stopped, turning around. "Those flowers." Mozu moved her hand to her hair, which still had white flowers on either side, attached to hairpins that kept her hair nice and neat. "They're rather beautiful. I'm surprised they don't show any signs of wilting."

"Oh, thank you!" Mozu made a genuine smile at the compliment. "They're called Forest Pearls. If you cut them at just the right time in their life, they take years to properly wilt. My mother taught me how to tell, so I cut them myself." She recalled the memory. Her mother clapping in joy, congratulating her and fashioning the hairpins herself. The last gift her mother had given her.

"I see. She sounds like a good person." Benny turned back around and exited the room, leaving Mozu alone. She wasn't sure she wanted to tell him what had happened to her mother. She didn't want to trouble him with her own personal baggage. Not after all he had done for her and the others. She relaxed her muscles and slowly drifted back to sleep.

Kana

Following after the blue-haired woman soon proved to be an impossible task. She didn't sleep, she didn't eat, she didn't even need water. She just continued to trudge on, walking at the same pace she had been when they first saw her. No doubt, it was Ganglari's influence keeping her like this. Within a day's time, Kana and Shigure were unable to keep following Peri. Kana could have lasted a day or two longer, but Shigure wasn't as trained as he was.

"My apologies." Shigure said for what must have been the dozenth time since they had stopped. "If I were more capable of such long treks, we wouldn't have lost track of her." Kana never liked how self-deprecating Shigure often was.

"You are a Pegasus Knight, Shigure." Kana reminded, stamping out the campfire the two had made the night prior. "It's natural that you wouldn't have as much experience with navigating rough terrain. Your domain is the skies."

"Regardless, I expect better of myself. I expect to at least match your own standard."

"You do, Shigure. Just in different ways." After the fire was stamped out, Kana got to work scattering the charcoal and rocks, hiding the evidence that it was even there. "I can't sing to save my life, for example." Shigure laughed at that.

"And you dance like Soleil. It's honestly embarrassing to be around you when you try." Shigure added. This time, Kana was the one who laughed. "I hope she's doing well. Even with our different goals, I don't wish to come to blows with her."

"If all goes well, we can accomplish our own without the possibility even arising." Kana finished hiding traces of the campfire, turning to Shigure. "We still know that woman's destination. And if she's going in the same direction she was before, we know the location. Come on, let's—" Kana was interrupted by a loud cough coming from Shigure. Then, another. Kana's eyes widened in realization as Shigure was thrown into a coughing fit, falling onto one knee. "You…you didn't!"

Kana rushed to Shigure's side, grabbing at the pendant that went under his heavy cloth shirt and pulling it out, seeing the blue stone within glow faintly as Shigure continued to cough and hack. "Slowed her…down…she didn't notice…" Shigure's next cough splattered blood onto his hand.

"You idiot!" Kana screamed. "What did I say about not using that pendant? What did I say!?" Shigure's coughing began to slow, growing less severe. The pendant, in turn, began to glow less brightly. "How are you supposed to save your mother's life if you die first?" Against his better instincts, he roughly shook his friend, trying desperately to get his point across.

Shigure looked up, a drop of blood dripping down his lips and to his chin. His coughing had finally ceased. "I'm…fine, Kana. I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me." It was all just empty reassurances. But Shigure hadn't died. Kana was terrified, just like he was whenever Shigure used that pendant's power. He couldn't lose him.

Kana pulled Shigure into a tight embrace, surprising the blue-haired man. "You damned idiot…" Kana muttered. "Idiot…"

Mozu

The door was locked. Mozu had discovered this after she had woken up again. Benny hadn't been in the room, and she was feeling much better, so she decided to get out of the infirmary and look for her friends. But the door was locked. Why was it locked? Benny couldn't have been so insistent on her resting that he'd lock the door. Her head was still throbbing. She reached her hand to it and felt bandages wrapped over her forehead. She hadn't felt those before. Had she been so out of it that she wasn't even aware of the bandages until now?

Mozu couldn't ponder on any of this. She needed to get out. Something was wrong. She braced herself, taking a few steps back before charging at the wooden door, hitting it with her shoulder. It shook, and her shoulder throbbed with pain that matched that of her head, but nothing broke. She couldn't let the pain in her shoulder and her head deter her. She braced herself once more and charged.

The door burst open, wood splintering out. Mozu found herself in a stone hallway, one that was thankfully empty. Left or right, left, or right? Which way to turn? She picked right. At the next turn, she went left. Hearing voices ahead, she stopped and hid behind a crate in the hallway. It sounded like two soldiers having a casual conversation. Eventually, their voices began to drift away, and when they were no longer audible, Mozu emerged from her hiding spot and continued on.

And so she kept going, occasionally having to hide from passing Nohrian soldiers, but never having to wait too long before continuing. The entire building was like a maze, and far too large to be a simple barracks. This had to be the Nohrian border wall itself. At that moment, any pretense of comfort or safety dissolved into thin air. This entire time, Mozu had been in the belly of the beast. And if she was here, her friends had to be as well.

Mozu kept searching for any sign of the others. There were no windows to give her a solid perception of the time of day; only torches that illuminated the dark stone halls. Eventually, finally, after what had seemed like hours, Mozu heard shouting. As she approached the source, she was able to make out the words. "YOU CAN'T JUST KEEP US IN HERE!" Mozu broke into a dash, eventually arriving at a plain wooden door.

"Actually, they can." Another voice came from within. Nyx! Mozu hastily opened the door, looking inside. The room within was rather large, but half of it was taken up by a large cell, metal bars running from one side of the other to separate it and the prisoners within from getting out. Mozu recognized those prisoners immediately. Her friends.

"Mozu!" Forrest exclaimed, being the first one to spot the girl. The others all turned their attention towards her, with most of them voicing their gratitude, apart from the standoffish Nyx and the typically silent Rinkah.

"You see?" Ophelia got up from the stone floor of the cell, looking no worse for wear. "I told you that our comrade would break free of her own abhorrent prison and save us! And you didn't believe me!" She bragged to Nina, whose face went bright red.

"I-I didn't say that!" Nina insisted, looking to Mozu. "Really, I didn't! We just…they wouldn't tell us anything aside from that you were alive. I was just being a realist!"

"Why did they lock you up?" Mozu asked, searching the room for a key to the cell door, to no avail. "Did they know who we are?"

Corrin nodded. "Yeah, they recognized me." She looked surprisingly guilty. "Apparently, there's a search party comprised of some Nohrian royal retainers that are out there looking for us. If we're found by any soldiers, we're to be locked up, and the search party is to be notified as fast as possible. If that doesn't happen, then those soldiers are punished."

"Those guys are trapped between a rock and a hard place." Niles sounded rather sympathetic. "If they help the guys who fought off the Faceless with them, then they get subjected to some classic Nohrian punishment. If they do what they're supposed to do, then they betray the people who did them no wrong. I get the feeling it's eating up that Benny guy."

"Funny; I'm not getting that 'eaten up inside' feeling that Benny is." A new voice rung out. All eyes were drawn to the entrance to the cell, where a new face stood, axe in hand. "I'm perfectly fine with handing you all over!" Charlotte said, grinning wickedly. "It means the chance of a promotion for me!"

Another figure walked into the doorway. "Mozu, don't fight. I don't wanna have to hurt you." Benny warned, holding out his spear in preparation. "I can't risk our lives, and lives of everyone else here, just to save you and your friends. I'm sorry." Mozu gulped, backing up until she was pressed against the bars of the prison cell. There was just no way she'd be able to take the both of them on. They were both armed, and she only had her bare hands and a nasty headache.

But…what if she didn't have to? The gears in her head started turning, and just as Benny began to walk towards her, an idea clicked into place. "WAIT!" Mozu shouted, stopping Benny in his tracks. "I…I have an idea. One that can save us all. Benny…" Mozu looked at the man, hoping that she could make an appeal to him. He was compassionate and kind, despite his rough appearances. She knew that he didn't want to hurt anyone. "Do you trust me?"

Takumi

"The Bottomless Canyon…" Midori whispered in awe next to Takumi, who was quite awestruck himself. The giant crag looked more like a deep wound inflicted upon the land, stretching as far as the eye could see. The canyon itself was recorded to stretch further north than any travelers had ever been, and for all anybody knew, could be endless in length as well as depth.

"We just have to get across, then sneak past the Nohrian border wall, and make our way to Cheve." Takumi re-explained. "Then we'll find Ryoma." Asugi and Mitama approached from behind him, the two of them just as awestruck by the sight of the canyon.

"And when we find him, we can explain what's going on." Asugi added. "He's someone we definitely need on our side."

Takumi nodded. "I'll go scout on ahead. I need to make sure the bridge we're gonna take is still under Hoshidan control." The others nodded back, and Takumi departed. He knew there was a fort nearby that guarded a bridge connecting one side of the canyon to the other. If the fort was still being occupied by Hoshidan forces, then they could use it to safely cross to the other side. It would be a fantastic way to save time on their journey.

Eventually, Takumi arrived at the fort, spotting the two small outposts a ways away that guarded the bridge proper. However, there was a problem. He hadn't spotted any Hoshidan forces so far. It seemed…silent. Empty. Not a good sign.

Just as Takumi was about to go check on the outposts, he heard a rustling in the bushes nearby. He almost grabbed his Fujin Yumi, but remembering his inability to hit anything with it, he instead reached for the knife at his side. That clearly didn't deter the Nohrian soldiers, who emerged from the bushes with spell tomes in hand, ready to blast the prince to smithereens.

Another Nohrian walked out from the group, wearing much more distinct armor than the rest. His blonde hair and icy gaze were immediately recognizable to Takumi, who gritted his teeth upon recognition. "Prince Takumi of Hoshido? I hardly would have expected to come across you out here." Prince Leo remarked. Takumi thought to make a move to grab him, use him as a hostage, but he knew that a spell would hit him before could make it. "What could you be doing here, I wonder?"

"I could ask the same for you." Takumi snapped back, his voice containing none of the calm and levelheadedness of Leo's. "I thought you'd be hiding away in your castle, letting others do the fighting for you. The Nohrian way."

"That is a tactic my father would employ." Leo snapped, briefly losing his composure. "I am not my father. It may do no good, but I still must say that I had no idea of his plan for Hoshido. In fact, I made an effort to prevent it once I became aware."

"Like hell you did!" Takumi roared. The mages grew panicked, ready to cast their spells, but Leo held up a hand, signaling to them to hold their fire.

"I don't expect you to believe me, Takumi." Leo explained. "I just wanted you to be aware. Whether you take anything I say with a grain of salt is entirely your choice. However, what is not your choice is what happens to you now. Unfortunately for you…" Leo smirked. "You're now a prisoner of war."

Laslow

When they arrived at the border town, one thing was incredibly apparent; something serious had happened. Signs of battle were visible in the forest outside of the town, with fallen trees, discarded arrows, and various blast marks left by spells littering the area. Entering the town, they were almost immediately greeted by a soldier from the border guard who filled them in on the details of the situation.

The border guard had come into contact with Princess Corrin and her group, successfully arresting them. However, the princess managed to break out and escape without alerting any of the guards in the process. In all likelihood, they had already gotten past the border wall and into no man's land.

Siegbert had harshly reprimanded the border guard leadership as a result of this, but no punishment came to the town or its people. Princess Corrin was a crafty one; it was understandable that she would find any possible weakness and exploit it. Now, he and the others were back on the hunt once again, now venturing outside of Nohrian land.

"Something seems off about this whole thing." Laslow noted to Selena, who was walking beside him. "They managed to lock Corrin and her friends up, yet they all escaped without any sightings, casualties, or injuries? They even regained all of their equipment."

"It's obvious it's all a big lie." Selena whispered back to Laslow. The two of them looked at Siegbert, who was ahead of the rest of the group and out of earshot. "If you ask me, the border guard was probably sympathetic and let them through. Remember those signs of a battle? The guards said that was from battling off rampaging Faceless, but I checked their troop numbers and their mages were just sent up further north."

"Do you think Siegbert knows?" Laslow asked, still looking at the blonde retainer at the front of the group. The two of them kept their voices hushed so as to not draw attention from any of the others.

"Oh, I guarantee it. He's not an idiot." Selena responded. "He probably just didn't want to acknowledge it." Laslow was confused by this. Why would someone like Siegbert deliberately ignore his duties? "Imagine what would've happened if he had looked into it. He definitely would've found some kind of proof, and then we'd have to administer some Nohrian punishment. We'd probably have to raze half the town to the ground. I don't think Siegbert's the kind of person who's okay with that."

Laslow looked at Selena, then back to Siegbert. First that story from Velouria, and now Selena's suspicions. They painted a picture of a Siegbert who was far more compassionate and caring than the one that Laslow had come to know. Was it possible that Siegbert was just putting up a front? Maybe he just wasn't fond of sharing those emotions. Either way, Laslow knew there was more to him that he initially suspected.

Mozu

They were finally out of Nohr. Mozu felt as if she could finally breathe again as soon as they had gotten out of the border wall. Her plan had worked. Benny agreed to pretend that there had been a prison escape, and even Charlotte hesitantly accepted the plan. Perhaps the blonde was more of a caring soul than Mozu had initially suspected.

Mozu was so lost in thought that when Corrin tapped her on the shoulder, it genuinely scared her. "Whoops, sorry about that." Corrin apologized. "Guess I should've just said your name."

"N-no, it's alright!" Mozu insisted, steadying and slowing her breath. Her head still hurt, but it had gone down a bit since when she had first woken up in the border wall. Maybe it was related in some way to the stress she had been feeling. "Is there something you need?"

"Um, well…" Corrin's eyes darted away before refocusing on Mozu. "I wanted to thank you. You saved all our asses back there with that plan of yours. I don't think I could've come up with something that smart on the spot like that." Corrin's compliment, as well as the smile on her face, sent warmth through Mozu's heart. She couldn't help but smile back.

"It wasn't really anything special, I just…"

"Special? Are you kidding?" Niles joined in on the conversation. "What you did was nothing short of amazing. That's exactly the kind of smart idea that we love." Mozu's eyes widened upon hearing more compliments, this time from the archer. Before she knew it, she felt tears streaming down her face.

"Woah! Mozu, are you alright!?" Corrin panicked for a brief moment, but Mozu nodded her head, helping calm her down.

"Mhm. I just…" Mozu sniffed, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Thank you. I'm glad to help."

Takumi

Takumi had been put in chains rather quickly after being declared a prisoner of war by Leo. Now, he sat on an uncomfortable bed in one of the many rooms of the fort, which was now occupied by Leo's forces. He had heard nothing about Midori and the others, which only made him uncertain if he should be glad or worried. On one hand, it meant they hadn't been captured, but it also meant they likely weren't aware of him being captured.

Leo didn't have much time to ponder on this, as his thoughts were interrupted by the door to his room being unlocked and opened by Leo, who stepped inside. "It's time to answer some questions, Takumi. I hope you'll be compliant." Leo shut the door behind him taking a seat in one of the chairs in the room.

Takumi didn't say anything, so Leo continued. "Why did you come here?" No response. Leo waited a bit just in case, but eventually continued. "Are you alone? Are there others with you?" Again, no response. Leo grew frustrated. "I'm not just asking because I want to make sure I'm not taken by surprise. I'll be candid with you; if there are others with you, they may be in danger."

Takumi looked at Leo, surprised to hear that. What did Leo mean by that? "You're lying. You just want me to say something, to give up information."

Leo shook his head. "Takumi, you'll give up information at some point. Nohrian interrogation techniques are remarkably efficient. I want you to tell me if there are others so that my men can make sure they don't wind up dead."

"Why would they wind up dead?" Takumi asked, before realizing he had just let slip that Midori and the others were out there. Damnit! He wanted to slap himself for so carelessly revealing that kind of information. Ever since he lost his eye, he had been so painfully sloppy. It made him hate every mistake he made even more.

"So there are others. I'll send some of my men out." Leo stood up and headed for the door.

"Wait!" Takumi shouted. Leo stopped. "What's out there? What kind of danger are they in?" Leo didn't say anything. Takumi only grew more infuriated at the prince's silence. "You can tell me that much, at least!"

Leo sighed, still not facing Takumi. "I came out here to study the Bottomless Canyon, and while I was here I noticed something strange. One of my men fell in. Then, a few days later, another fell in. They were all acting carelessly, in ways that seemed to put them in direct danger of taking the plummet. Yet, they acted that way all the same. I was puzzled by this until one day one of my men had to pull me away from the edge of the canyon, just as I almost fell in. I was drawn to it, in a way I can't quite describe."

"What are you saying?" Takumi asked.

"What I'm saying is that there seems to be some sort of force or presence. Whether it's in the canyon or the canyon itself, it's still there. And it draws you in. It whispers to your mind, urging you to get a little closer. And then, eventually, you slip and fall in. Your friends, if they were too careless, may already have suffered the same fate." With that, Leo exited the room, locking the door behind him and leaving Takumi alone to suffer with that possibility weighing heavy in his mind.

Asugi

"He should've been back by now." Asugi repeated for the umpteenth time. "There's no reason he should've taken this long unless something went wrong. Something must've gone wrong." He was pacing back and forth over the barren land, biting his lip with worry.

"Have a little faith in him, Asugi." Mitama chided, casually writing on her notepad. "The prince Takumi / Knows how to handle himself / We just need to wait." Asugi just grumbled upon hearing another one of Mitama's haikus, increasing the speed of his pacing. Eventually, he glanced over to Midori and felt his blood run cold as he realized just how close she was to the edge of the Bottomless Canyon.

"Midori? What are you doing over there?" Asugi asked his cousin. She blinked, becoming more alert as if she had been snapped out of a trance.

"H-huh?" Midori looked around, seemingly only fully aware of her surroundings now that he had said something to her. Just as she opened her mouth to speak again, she seemed to lose her balance. She let out a gasp of terror as she began to fall backward.

Asugi reacted almost instantly, sprinting as fast as his legs would let him. He raced to the edge of the canyon as Midori began to fall back, the terror that once was only present in her gasp now having formed an expression of horror on her face. He held out his hand in preparation to catch her, and she held hers out in preparation to be caught. He dove onto his stomach, feeling the rough dirt and rocks scratch against his stomach. He didn't care.

As Midori began to fall down into the canyon, Asugi's fingers wrapped around hers, clutching her tight. But the sudden jerk of her body stopping, the gravity still pushing down on her, and the grime that clung to their hands caused the worst to happen. Midori's hand slipped out of Asugi's. She let out one more scream as she began to plummet once again, deep down into the depths of the canyon.

"MIDORI!"


	17. Get Away

Nina

Nina wasn't sure what she expected when she first heard they were going to the Bottomless Canyon. Well, she expected a canyon that was bottomless, and she certainly got that, but everything else? She supposed she just hadn't given it much thought. As a result, it was natural that she'd be somewhat surprised to see just how much of a wasteland the area was.

The trees were barren and seemingly lifeless, yet held strong against the raging winds, showing no signs of falling over anytime soon. The ground itself was almost ashen in appearance, cracked and rough with small stones and gravel littering the landscape. The only animals living in the area were rather large and nasty rats that would scurry about, occasionally being picked up and carried away by hawks.

The moment they had all arrived in the area, Nina's head had begun to hurt something awful. It wasn't the kind of headache that shot through your skull like a needle, and it wasn't the kind that pulsed like a rampaging heartbeat. Rather, it was the kind of headache that was less painful in its extremes, but one that never showed any sign of reprieve, instead lingering at the same intensity during every moment.

Forrest had noticed Nina's headache a few hours prior and was still occasionally checking to see if she was okay. "My staff should've worked…" The boy repeated, deep in thought. "Perhaps it's something to do with the climate change…allergies, perhaps?"

"Forrest, it's not that bad." Nina lied, giving him a smile. "Really, I can handle it. No need to worry yourself over me." He didn't seem convinced, but he didn't trouble her anymore. Ophelia, however, didn't get that same memo.

"I heard your head's been hurting." The blonde dark mage commented, now walking only a foot or two to the side of Nina. "I have more than a few curses and spells that could help quell that. For example, if you could grab the tail of a newt—"

"And where the hell are we gonna find a newt?" Nina interrupted Ophelia, speaking rather harshly to the girl. "It's not like this is a dense forest or anything." Ophelia looked hurt, and for a moment Nina thought to apologize, but just as she was about to, she noticed that Nyx was peering at the two of them from a couple dozen feet away. Nina had spotted the woman peering at them dozens of times since they first joined Corrin's group, and she was frankly getting sick of it.

"Hey." She began to head towards Nyx, who looked away, pretending she hadn't just been watching her. It was even more infuriating. "Hey!" Nina's pace quickened as she closed the gap between her and the solitary dark mage. "What's with you? Why do you keep watching us?" Nyx remained silent, staring ahead. Finally, Nina caught up to her, walking by her side. "Are you gonna say something?"

"Lower your voice." Nyx muttered. "You're drawing attention." Aside from speaking to Nina, she showed no sign of actually acknowledging her. "And it seems like attention is the last thing you want." Nina only grew somewhat confused upon hearing that. "Kana, that ninja you encountered. There's something about him and you three that you haven't been telling anyone."

"Oh great, so the reason you've been snooping on us is that you don't trust us. Well, that's just wonderful." Nina remarked snidely, trying to hide the worry that was settling in. How much did Nyx know about them? Had she told Corrin and the others?

"Drop the façade, Nina." Nyx snapped back, still facing forward. "I've lived far too long to fall for such bold-faced acts. The next time we set up camp, you three are going to have a nice, long talk with me about the secrets you've been hiding." She glanced at Nina. "And if your secret isn't harmful to the group, and if you make a good enough case, maybe I'll help keep it." She returned to looking forward. "Don't try anything. I've already told Rinkah that if something happens to me when we set up camp, it's because of you three."

That left Nina stunned. Clearly, Nyx had been keeping more of an eye on them than she initially thought. And Nina, like a complete idiot, totally underestimated her intelligence. She hesitantly walked away from Nyx, returning to Forrest and Ophelia. She needed to figure out how to get out of this situation, and fast.

"Did you really have to talk to Nyx?" Forrest asked, once again worried. "I get that she's been giving us a lot of weird looks, but it wasn't—"

"She knows something." Nina quickly said, surprising Forrest. "I don't know how much, but she's threatening to tell Corrin what she does know if we don't explain everything else." Forrest chose to mull over the information instead of responding immediately.

"I'll go tell Ophelia." Forrest finally said. Nina nodded her approval of the idea, watching Forrest turn and head towards the dark mage. This was not a good situation to be in. Nyx was threatening to bring things crumbling down, they were still no closer to finding the Yato, and worst of all, Nina's headache was only getting worse. She glanced over to the Bottomless Canyon. Something about it was…alluring to her, somehow. She felt like she needed to get a closer look. Not now, though. Now, she needed to focus on the situation with Nyx.

Mitama

Asugi hadn't moved from the edge of the canyon since it had happened. He had just sat there, with his head buried in his hands. If he was sobbing, Mitama couldn't tell. She hadn't moved much either, instead opting to stand underneath one of the many dead trees that littered the Bottomless Canyon.

"Asugi…" Mitama spoke. No response. "Asugi, Takumi still isn't back." Nothing. "There's something wrong here, we need to—"

"I don't give a damn about Takumi!" Asugi shouted, lifting his head up and standing up, facing Mitama with enraged eyes. "Midori…oh gods, Midori…" He took a few slow steps away from the edge of the canyon, holding up his hands and looking at them. "I had her…I had her in my hands, I had grabbed her…"

Mitama remembered when she had found out about her mother. Midori was there to comfort her, to let her cry as much as she needed, to stay with her. And now Midori was gone. That bright, sharp as a dagger girl was gone. Mitama walked over to Asugi, and before he could say anything, wrapped her arms around him. She rested her head against his chest, trying her best to bring him any semblance of comfort that she could.

"Aww, aren't you two just the cutest little couple?" An unfamiliar voice said mockingly, startling the two of them. Mitama stepped back, turning to face the newcomer. She noticed two things first and foremost. The first was the woman's bright blue and pink hair. The second was the sword that she held. It glowed a faint, misty red, with what looked like a large eye built into it. The woman had a smile that could only be described as deranged. "It's a shame that your friend had to fall down in there. If you'd like…" The red mist around her sword began to glow more intensely, and her smile widened to an unnatural degree.

"I can send you to the same place she went."

Azura

The relative peace and silence of the trek through the landscape surrounding the Bottomless Canyon was interrupted by the presence of a new face. Stumbling out from a forest of dead trees and thorny bushes, a pink-haired girl fell to one knee almost immediately, clutching her arm, which was soaked in blood.

Forrest was the first to react, rushing over to the girl with a staff in hand. Azura swore she saw a sign of recognition on his face as he began to heal whatever wounds he could find. The girl was breathing heavily, exhausted from running. "Forrest…it's you…" She stopped, coughing heavily. She put her hand on Forrest's shoulder, looking him in the eyes. "Asugi…Asugi's in danger…"

The others drew their weapons, with Nina and Ophelia rushing over to the girl as well. Corrin took note of the familiarity. "You guys know eachother?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "Who's Asugi?"

Forrest looked to Nina, who looked to Ophelia, who looked back to Forrest. The three of them nodded their heads. "He's a friend of ours." Ophelia explained. "This girl is as well. Her name is Mitama." She looked at Mitama, who was still coughing. "You need to tell us what happened. Where's Asugi?"

Mitama managed to control her coughing long enough to speak. "We were…attacked…a girl with blue and pink hair, she came at us from nowhere—" She once again broke into a coughing fit, buckling over. Forrest continued the healing process.

"Her damage must be internal." The boy explained. "I'll keep healing her, but it might take more time than I thought." He lifted Mitama's chin up. "Where are they right now?" Mitama answered by pointing towards the forest of dead trees.

"Alright." Corrin began to walk to the forest. "Anybody who isn't preoccupied with Mitama needs to come with me." There was brief hesitation. Even Azura was unsure if it was wise for them all to go in the direction that Mitama just stumbled away from, heavily injured. Corrin took note of this hesitation. "Listen, I don't have time to argue about this, we need to get over there right now!"

"You aren't going anywhere, dark fiends!" A man's voice shouted. Almost everybody turned to face the source. There, standing atop a large pile of rocks, was a man who seemed remarkably similar to Ophelia. "I, Odin Dark, will stop your heinous plans!"

"With our help." A redheaded woman emerged from behind the rocks, followed by a woman with pink hair, a man with silver hair, a Wolfskin girl, and a blonde man. All of them aside from the Wolfskin wore clothing that was clearly Nohrian in design. The search party that Azura and the others had heard about must have arrived.

"Great, more wackjobs." Corrin muttered under her breath, only audible to Azura, who was close enough to her to hear. Corrin raised her voice. "Hey, listen, I'm gonna assume you're the search party out looking for us? Good job following your Nohrian duty and all, but arresting us really just isn't gonna happen."

The blonde-haired man stepped out in front of the group. He cleared his throat, speaking officially. "Princess Corrin of Nohr, you are hereby under arrest for violating Nohrian law. If you do not surrender peacefully, you will—"

"Hey, wait a minute, I recognize you!" Corrin shouted, a crafty grin forming on her face. "You're that pretty boy I punched in the gut!" Her grin darkened into a scowl. "The same pretty boy who tried to keep the secret about that assassination plan for my mother."

The pink-haired girl turned to look at the man. "Wait, Siegbert, she's kidding, right?" She seemed nervous just talking about it. "You didn't actually try to let that happen, did you?"

Siegbert brushed her comments aside, even as the rest of his men looked at him with equally wary gazes. "Unimportant." He drew his sword, pointing it straight at Corrin. "Surrender, now. This is your last warning." In response, Niles and Nina readied their bows, and Nyx opened one of her spell tomes. Responding to that, Odin readied a spell of his own while the others drew their weapons, the Wolfskin girl pulling an odd stone from her pocket.

If Azura's knowledge on shapeshifting species was correct, that stone was a Beaststone. A stone imbued with the power to transform a Wolfskin from their more humanoid form to one of a giant, hulking beast. How these Nohrian soldiers got one on their side was a mystery to her; she remembered that the Wolfskin were independent tribes.

"Stop!" Azura shouted. She knew that if the situation escalated any further, there would be casualties on both sides. That was the last thing she wanted. "There are far more pressing matters right now! There's a woman nearby who just attacked this girl!" She motioned to Mitama behind her. "One of her friends was attacked as well! We need to provide medical attention to this girl and assist her friend!"

"And what reason would I have to trust you?" Siegbert asked with a raised eyebrow, his sword still drawn and pointed at Corrin.

"Because, as Princess Azura of Nohr, you must heed my words and obey them!" It was a last-ditch attempt, but perhaps using her status as a royal heir would help sway Siegbert's trust towards her. However, he didn't seem even somewhat surprised. Although, the soldiers with him, save the pink-haired one, were far more shocked by this information.

"Siegbert, I hate to rain on your parade…" The silver-haired soldier began to speak. "Perhaps we should call a temporary truce, at least until this whole mess is sorted out. We can arrest them afterwards." He faced Azura. "What does this attacker look like?"

"The attacker is a woman with blue and pink hair." Azura answered. "That's all we know." She noticed a flash in Siegbert's eyes, but before she could wonder what it meant, the entire commotion between the two groups was interrupted by a loud giggle. Everybody turned their focus towards the forest of dead trees.

Emerging from the forest was what could only be the girl that Mitama had described. And she looked downright  _giddy_. "So many people!" She let out a gasp. "And I even recognize some of them! One of those Hoshidan brats, and…" She gasped again, even more delighted than before as she looked at Siegbert and his group. "Oh, it's so good to see you all again!"

"P-Peri!?" The silver-haired man stammered in bewilderment. "How in blazes are you alive? We all thought you perished in Hoshido!" The others, especially Siegbert, were stunned at the sight of the woman.

Peri let out another giggle. "Oh, no. I can't die yet! I have so much more killing to do!" She held up her sword, nuzzling her face against its side. "Isn't that right, Hans?" She asked, the sword lighting up gently in response. "I think you all will be excellent additions to the list!"

Azura noticed that Corrin was trembling. The crimson-eyed princess looked to her, her face twisted into an expression of absolute fury. "That sword…that's the sword that killed Sakura…" Azura felt fear pierce into her as she turned back to face Peri. "What are you doing with that sword!?"

"Oh, this?" Peri looked at the sword, then to Corrin. "I got it after Hans died. It's too bad he couldn't really control it. It meant he got absorbed right into it! I was gonna do the same to that ninja back there, but I accidentally knocked him into the canyon. Though, Hans isn't the only one trapped inside…" Azura felt her stomach sink. Peri spoke in a mocking tone. "Big sister, big sister! Oh, please help me, big sister!" She dropped her tone, breaking into an uproarious laughter. "Her cries really are just so sweet, I think I'm gonna—"

Corrin charged right at Peri with no regard for her own safety, taking a swing at the crazed girl. Peri leaped back, readying her sword. "Naughty naughty, trying to take a dirty swipe at me! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" She paused, blinking. "Oh right, they couldn't!" She laughed again as the sword began to hum. "What?" She stopped laughing, looking at the weapon. "Ganglari's sibling? It's close?"

Azura saw her chance. She knew that Peri would be a formidable force, especially with a weapon that exuded dark magic as heavily as that one. She found herself clutching the pendant wrapped around her neck. Was she really about to use it? She took a deep breath, doing her best to strengthen her resolve. Then, she sang.

_You are the ocean's gray waves, destined to seek life beyond the shore just out of reach…_

The effects were almost instant. Peri began to groan, before eventually screaming in anguish. "My head! My head, it hurts!" She cried out, slamming her fist against her skull. "Why won't it stop…hurting…" She was growing dizzier. Just as she was about to collapse, Ganglari glowed brightly in her hand. "What…? Oh…you'll protect me…thank you…Hans…"

All at once, Azura's pendant began to glow blindingly bright, and she felt pure agony wash through her body. She almost immediately fell to her knees, attracting Corrin's attention. "AZURA!" She screamed, running over to her.

"No…you need to…get away…" Azura spoke through heavy breaths, trying not to pass out. Something terrible was about to happen because of her pendant, and it was all her fault. Just as the pendant seemed about ready to unleash its might, and the people around started to turn and run, a new voice could be heard.

_Yet the waters ever change…_

Who was that?

_Flowing like time…_

Who was…

_The path is yours to climb…_

A white light engulfed everything around them. And then, everything went black.

Takumi

The deafening silence was beginning to get to Takumi. The pitch-black darkness, the lack of any real sound aside from any noises he himself made, they provided no comfort. Especially when he was still worried sick over Midori and the others. That all changed when a gigantic crash could be heard, accompanied by a force that was strong enough to shake the room he was in.

Takumi lifted his head up from the bed he was resting on. The tiny slit of light from under the locked door to his room showed the shadows of feet moving by frantically. He got off the bed and approached the door, hearing the commotion outside. Lots of arguing, and even more panicking.

"Hey, what's going on out there?" Takumi asked. There was no way the Nohrians outside of his door didn't hear him, but they gave no indication that they were going to respond. He banged on the door, growing impatient. "HEY!" He shouted.

"Quiet in there, prisoner!" One of the guards shouted from the other side. That only made Takumi angrier.

"You can't just expect me to ignore what just happened! Tell me what's going on out there!" Takumi banged on the door again. At first, there was only more silence in response to his demands. He deliberated asking again. Then, finally, one of the guards answered him.

"There was an explosion, at another part of the canyon." The guard outside of Takumi's door explained. "We're still trying to figure everything out, but…" He didn't finish his sentence.

Takumi felt dread begin to spike through the nerves in his body. An explosion of that kind of magnitude would have to have been something absurd. "But what?" Takumi asked, his voice shaky. No response. "But what!?" He repeated, his voice louder.

"…We can see it from here. There's a massive crater at the edge of the canyon. Everything where it was is just…gone." Even the guard sounded shaken by the information. "Just don't do anything funny. I'll be back." And with that, the guard left, presumably to see what he was supposed to do after what had just happened.

Takumi was left alone once again. He stepped back and sat down on the side of his bed. Why was there an explosion? Were Midori and the others involved somehow? But if they were involved, then that meant they were…oh, gods. He put his head in his hands, beginning to feel sick. His friends were in danger, and just like always, he couldn't do anything about it.

Midori

She could hear them in the distance. Growling, stumbling, their chains clanking. Every footstep sent a loud bang echoing through the hallways. More Faceless. She set down her lantern, letting it illuminate the gray stone floor and the base of the stone walls, only bringing part of their ornate, intricately designed carvings into the light. She grabbed her bow from her back and notched another arrow, aiming towards the Faceless that were still out of sight but getting ever so closer with each passing second.

It was only a matter of time now. She had to make every arrow count. She only had so many left. However, her focus was wavering. The voice kept speaking to her, urging her to venture deeper into the depths of the labyrinthian ruins. It sent visions into her mind, memories of before the Deeprealms, before the journey to the past.

_"We can save both kingdoms, we don't have to destroy Nohr."_

_"You don't understand! It just won't work, it's too unrealistic! If we just prioritize, we can—"_

_"Prioritize your people over ours!? Why are we even listening to Midori, she's just a kid!"_

_"Please, you have to understand! If we try and save everyone, we're just gonna end up saving nobody!"  
"Guys, maybe Midori has a point here. I'm not saying—"_

_"Of course you'd agree with her Asugi, you're cousins! If you two can't look past your own selfishness, then why should we bother listening to a word either of you say?"_

**"They betrayed you. Left you to accomplish your goal without them. Left you to be responsible for Dwyer's death. It's their fault you're so weak."**

Midori took a shaky breath, wanting so desperately to break down and cry. But now was not the time for tears. Those would have to come later. For now, she had to focus on survival, and following that voice as it continued to beckon her to come closer. The Faceless came into view.

_"Please, don't leave! I just want to help, I just want to see people happy again! I'm just thinking realistically! I just want to see people smile!"_

**"They betrayed you. That's all they've ever done. Anybody who hasn't yet will betray you too. It's all they ever do. You can't trust any of them. All they'll do is betray…"**

Midori breathed in one last time, aiming her bow with trembling hands. Then, breathing out, she let her arrow fly.


	18. Like a Blade

Soleil

Soleil's head hurt. Though, with the number of hangovers she went through on a daily basis, that wasn't too strange to her. What worried her was how damn much it hurt. Her eyes fluttered open, and she became rather thankful that her sleep had given her eyes the chance to adjust to the darkness, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to see a thing. In her current state, she was at least able to make out the ceiling above her.

"Oh good, you're up." A voice remarked next to Soleil. Her head snapped to the side, allowing her to see the person it came from, albeit with a lopsided view. She'd recognize that green hair and remarkably large backpack anywhere.

"Midori…?" She slowly sat up, rubbing her head. "I haven't seen you in…gosh, how long's it been?" Midori didn't answer, instead shifting through her bag. A wave of awkward tension began to spread. "Hey, listen, I know we didn't really part on the best terms, but you can at least talk to me a little more."

"I'm not in the mood for pointless talk." Midori's voice was rather deadpan. "There are more important issues to worry about. I'd give you something for that headache, but I've learned from experience that it doesn't go away." She pulled a surgical knife out of her bag and tossed it to Soleil, who caught it rather clumsily, almost cutting her finger. "You must've dropped your weapons on the way down."

"The way down?" Soleil looked around, taking a good look at the hallway she was in. It was old, that much she could discern from a glance. At the same time, the age was really only visible due to the very ancient-y stone carvings that littered the walls. They looked like incoherent babble to her, but then again, history was never her strong suit. Aside from that, there was no mold or mildew, no cracks in any of the stone. It looked worn, yet strangely pristine.

"Welcome to the bottom of the Bottomless Canyon." Midori said somewhat sarcastically. "It has a ceiling. Who would've thought?" Soleil knew that Midori could be a little downtrodden at times, but she hadn't seen her like this before. She just looked…exhausted. "I'd turn on my lantern, but I didn't want you to get used to the light. I'm running out of fuel."

"The bottom…?" All at once, Soleil remembered what had happened. They were about to arrest Corrin and the others, and then some crazy girl had started attacking them, so Princess Azura had used some kind of magic, and then there was this bright light and—

Soleil stopped. Her head was still pounding, and she had more pressing issues to worry about. "Have you seen anybody else, besides me?" She asked Midori, finally standing up on shaky legs. It took her a minute or two of pacing to feel more balanced again.

"I saw some Nohrian soldiers. Dead, though." Midori got up as well, slinging her backpack over her shoulders. "That would be due to the Faceless down here. They always come at you when you least expect it." Midori paused, looking at the floor. "Just like that voice."

Reaching for her belt before remembering that she had lost her sword, Soleil gripped tighter onto the surgical knife in her hand. "Voice? What voice? I haven't heard anything besides you." She looked around, wary after Midori explained that there were Faceless.

"It comes and goes." Midori explained, beginning to walk down the hall. Soleil followed behind her, occasionally glancing back to make sure they weren't being followed. "There's been a lull for a little bit now. When it comes back, you'll hear it too."

"Erm…right." Soleil was a bit concerned by Midori by this point. The girl had to grow up fast, Soleil was aware of that, but she was just acting too calm considering the circumstances. "How did you wind up here? You weren't with the rest of us when—"

"Rest of us?" Midori glanced back at her. "There were others? How many? Was Asugi or Mitama with you?" Finally, her deadpan lifted a small bit, showing that she still was afraid, even if she was doing her best to hide it.

"I saw Mitama. She was injured, but Forrest was in the process of healing her when it happened." Soleil began to explain. "And yes, Forrest was there too. I'll, uh, fill you in on what you missed…"

Velouria

Where was Siegbert? She had woken up in these strange tunnels, and from the moment she realized she was alone, she didn't like any of it one little bit. For one, they were far too empty. She could see fine in the dark, but that only emphasized how lifeless the whole place was. The smell was the worst part. It smelled so stale, like it had been built for the sole purpose of never containing anything at all. She suppressed the urge to rub her back on any of the walls to get a familiar scent going. That would just waste time.

There was something else. The whole feeling of the place was oddly familiar, in a way. Velouria couldn't yet put her finger on how exactly, but she knew she'd felt like this before. Not nostalgic, but most certainly recognizable.

Every twist and turn seemed to lead Velouria absolutely nowhere, and she could've sworn that she had seen the designs on the walls repeat more than a few times. Was she going in circles? Was there some kind of trickery going on? Was she just tired? She stopped and looked at the walls, trying to figure out what she could gather from them. There seemed to be some kind of language, but whatever it was, she didn't understand a word of it.

Before Velouria could look any further, she heard noise nearby. It was getting closer. Her Beaststone clutched tightly in her hand, she waited to see who was coming. It was...Siegbert! She almost ran to him in joy, but thankfully stopped herself before she could. His hands were bound behind him, and he was being led by two painfully familiar faces.

"I'd drop that Beaststone if I were you." Asugi warned, holding a shuriken to Siegbert's neck. "Even if you were able to transform and get to me before I cut his throat, your sheer size would send the ceiling falling right on top of you. I doubt even a transformed Wolfskin could get away from that unscathed."

Velouria, despite everything, still wanted to transform. She wanted to save her beloved before something horrible happened to him. She couldn't trust Asugi or Mitama, she couldn't—

"Velouria." Siegbert spoke. "Don't try anything." She stopped, her grip on her Beaststone loosening. Why would he give up so easily? "We have to face facts. I'm a hostage now, and I've no doubt you will be too. What we need to focus on right now is survival, above all else." He was right. Damnit, she didn't want him to be right, but he was nonetheless. Admitting defeat, Velouria tossed her Beaststone at Asugi, who caught it in his free hand. He then handed it to Mitama, who stored it in her satchel.

"Good choice." Asugi said coldly, stepping away from the still bound Siegbert and looking to Mitama. "Velouria's gonna be useless without her stone. No need to waste good rope." That made Velouria's blood boil. How  _dare_  he call her useless so callously? She was useful, she had to be useful. Otherwise, why would she be needed?

"We need to find a way out of here." Mitama reminded everyone. "Otherwise, I'm certain we'll befall a fate worse than any depressing poem I've read." Right then and there, she grabbed her notepad and began jotting down a haiku, reading it aloud. "The puzzling ruins / What secrets does this place hide / In its twisting depths?"

Azura

She wasn't dead. That much was certain because no proper afterlife would begin with you waking up to an abhorrent pain in your chest like she had. Slowly sitting up, Azura realized she was still outside of the Bottomless Canyon, but the terrain was far different from what she had seen. It must've been a different spot in the area.

She looked around, taking in her surroundings until she noticed that she was not alone. There was another man in the process of collecting some water from a minuscule spring, storing it in a waterskin. Wearing black-blue garb that was heavy in cloth, as well as more cloth covering most of his face, Azura almost mistook him for Kana. But no, this man was different. "Who…are you?" She asked, her voice coming out scratchy and dry. Not only that, but it  _hurt_  to speak. More than it had hurt in her lifetime. Just those three words were enough to make her clutch her chest in agony.

The man wasted no time in stopping what he was doing, letting the water pour out of the still-untied waterskin and back into the spring as he rushed to Azura, gently grabbing her by the shoulders and moving her back down onto her back. She didn't protest, mostly due to the intense pain. "Don't speak. Your voice is still damaged." The man warned in a voice that was remarkably calming. "It's the kind of damage that only a skilled healer can take care of. Though you already have one with you, so I imagine you'll be alright. Just refrain from talking unless absolutely necessary. Otherwise, the damage could be permanent." Azura wondered how the man knew so much about what she was going through. Was this knowledge from some sort of medical text? Or possibly experience?

Either way, Azura couldn't exactly ask. He didn't seem like the type to lie about what she was going through so that she wouldn't ask questions, and even if she didn't trust him, it wouldn't be wise to take such a risk. As she continued to clutch her chest, feeling the pain begin to fade, she noticed something that made her freeze. Her pendant was gone.

The man noticed the terror in her yellow eyes, his own eyes of a similar color staring right back at her. "Your pendant, I assume?" He asked, getting a nod in response. He closed his eyes, sighing as he looked off at the horizon. "It's safe with me. You'll never need it again." That only served to panic her more. "That pendant…I know what it is. It's dangerous to you, and needs to be put somewhere nobody will ever discover it again."

Azura sat up again, ignoring the pain in her chest that still lingered. She needed to find out where the man had put her pendant. "Stop! You need to rest." He urged, but she was not ready to just let him have her pendant. She tried to get to her feet despite his still gentle hold on her shoulders trying to push her back down. "Your pendant isn't worth taking back! You should know better than anyone just how dangerous it is!"

The man was right about one thing; Azura's pendant was dangerous. Her damaged voice was proof. It had been passed down to her from her mother, days before she died from illness. What her mother was unable to tell her was that it was an immensely powerful relic, one that could channel the inherent strength of its owner into mighty magic. Azura found the best way to accomplish this was through her singing. Perhaps it was because she found it easiest to express herself through song.

However, the pendant carried a price. Every time it was used, depending on the power, Azura would go through varying levels of pain. If it was for something small, like healing a wounded animal, she would at most feel a slight ache in her lungs for the remainder of the day. For something especially intensive, it could leave her writhing in agony for days on end. That's what confused her the most. She had put more power into her song than usual to stop Peri, yet the pain she felt was nowhere what it should have been.

"Just lie down and rest, so—" The man stopped, making a loud gagging sound. Azura's eyes widened in horror as he suddenly fell onto his side, hacking and sputtering into the cloth over his mouth. Despite his decision to steal her pendant, Azura refused to show him any less compassion, instead getting on her knees next to him.

Before he could stop her, she pulled the cloth down from his mouth, seeing that the inside was coated in blood. It was clear that something was very wrong with him. As she tried to remove the cloth covering his head, he reached a hand to her and clutched her wrist tightly. "Don't…" He coughed again, blood sputtering out of his mouth and onto the ground. "It'll…pass…"

The coughing continued, and Azura could only watch. She was no medical expert, and she certainly had no idea what was going on with this man. She tried to learn what she could from the small clues she noticed. However, in the end, she could only end up focusing on his face. He seemed remarkably familiar, and at first, Azura couldn't figure out why.

As the man's coughing began to slow, eventually reaching the point where he was no longer hacking up blood, Azura began to realize what about him was so familiar. Maybe it was the blue eyes, or perhaps it was his voice, or maybe even just the way he carried himself. It all reminded Azura of herself.

With her voice still damaged, she couldn't speak about any of this. Even finding out about what happened to everyone after that flash of light seemed like it wouldn't happen. She could only watch as the man began to recover from the immense pain he was just in. Another way he reminded her of herself, she thought, as she clutched her still-aching chest once again.

Nina

Almost dying multiple times in the span of a couple hours was not what Nina wanted to do today. Yet here she was, making it out of a deadly encounter against far too many Faceless to be reasonable by the skin of her teeth. Whoever decided to cram these hallways with them was going to get a good punch to the throat. Assuming they weren't already long-dead, which, Nina supposed, could be the case.

One emotion prevailed over her anger though, and that was her fear. She hadn't seen any of the others since that white flash. She had no idea where she was. Her stomach was growling. The Faceless were growling. She was growling every time she had to hear either of those two growls.

As Nina continued to roam through the stone hallways, she began to opt to run and hide from any encroaching Faceless rather than engaging them head-on. It was too much of a risk by this point, and she wanted to conserve her arrows. Sure, she had become an expert in removing them from a target without damaging them, but even her skills only got her so far, especially when those arrows were embedded in the fat gut of a Faceless.

Eventually, after enough aimless wandering, Nina stopped, feeling like something had changed. She looked all around her, trying to discern what exactly was different about this hallway. It took her a few minutes of careful observation thanks to the extreme dark, but eventually, she realized that what caught her attention was that the carvings on the walls were different.

Before, it had all just been incomprehensible text. Likely an ancient language, a field which Nina, unsurprisingly, had absolutely zero experience with. However, the walls here didn't have this language covering them from top to bottom. Instead, there were pictures. Definitely Nina's forte.

The first one showed two beings that could only be dragons. The giant wings and lizard-like heads gave that away. The stark white and black used for each dragon told Nina that it was likely the Dawn and Dusk Dragons of Hoshido and Nohr. A gray dragon was depicted above them, with light shining down. This must've been the legend that Scarlet had told Corrin, the one about the Yato.

Walking a little further, a new carving was present. The gray dragon was surrounded by five orbs, each depicted with lines surrounding them that Nina could only assume were meant to represent light, or perhaps power. Man, she really should've listened more to the lessons Forrest gave her on this sort of thing.

Nina saw that rather curiously, four of the orbs had cracks on them, as if they were damaged, or perhaps in the process of breaking apart. This would have to be the dragon creating the Divine Weapons, right? She couldn't think of any other good possibilities off the top of her head.

Farther ahead, there was yet another carving in the wall. She recognized some of the images instantly; a lightning bolt above a sword must've represented Raijinto, the lightning blade, currently in Prince Ryoma's possession. Another sword, much larger and depicted with dark flames around it, could only be Siegfried, wielded by Prince Xander. She hated that a loyal lapdog to Garon would be the one chosen by a Divine Weapon.

A tome with a tree sprouting above it represented Brynhildr, the tome of life, wielded by Prince Leo. Nina felt a little more hesitant about insulting her best friend's father, and she knew he was far less loyal to Garon than Forrest's uncle was. Finally, there was a bow with no string, which had to be the Fujin Yumi, wielded by Prince Takumi, the Hoshidan prince who Nina rather embarrassingly had quite the puppy-love crush on for a time.

Below the four Divine Weapons were…wait, that wasn't right. That didn't make sense, it was—

**"You."**

Pain spiked through Nina's head, making her collapse in almost an instant, her legs buckling underneath her. She landed on her side, feeling the pain remain, showing no signs of fading. It was like the headache she had experienced earlier but to the nth degree.

**"You have felt the torturous pain of betrayal."**

"Stop…get out of my…" Agonized wheezing was all that came out when Nina tried to continue speaking. It felt like something was squeezing her brain, poking and prodding it, sending spikes and surges through her mind that lit it on fire. Every sensation around her was dulled until the only thing she could feel was the pain.

Soleil

**"Let that betrayal give you strength."**

"Soleil? Soleil!?" Midori got on her knees next to Soleil, who was writhing in anguish on the cold stone floor, screaming. Some distant thought in her mind told her that the noise she was making would attract Faceless, but she couldn't silence herself. She couldn't silence the voice in her head. She noticed that Midori looked like she was in pain as well, but it was nothing compared to her own. "You can hear it, can't you!? Don't listen to it, don't listen to what it shows you!"

**"Revel in it. Let it sharpen you like a blade. If you emerge stronger, I will grant you my gift."**

"Soleil!" Midori shouted again. Her voice sounded so far off, like she was a million miles away. "Soleil, hey! Stay with me! Soleil! Soleil!"

"Soleil." Soleil's attention was finally grabbed by her father, who sat across from her at the circular table. "You can't attend a party and then not eat anything." He motioned to the food on her plate, a rather tasty-looking steak and some wine on the side.

"I'm not very hungry." Soleil responded, ignoring the food on her plate as she gazed around. One of the ballrooms of Castle Krakenburg had been outfitted with various tables and white roses, as well as a few instruments grouped together for a band to play, in celebration of King Garon's birthday. Soleil found it a bit humorous that he had grown so old that few people could agree on his exact age. She always figured he was using some dark magic to keep himself alive until the war against Hoshido was won.

Her eyes drifted to a table a little way away, where various men and women were drinking copious amounts of wine, a few of them occasionally nudging one with bright red hair, who seemed rather uninterested in the whole affair. Laslow looked over. "It's been a good year for the Wyvern Riders, from what I've heard. More talented recruits than usual." Did he mean that there were more recruits with talent, or that the recruits were more talented? Soleil thought to ask, but she wasn't interested enough to commit to it.

The girl with red hair seemed to become the focus of the group as time went on, eventually ending with them all chanting something that, across the large ballroom, Soleil couldn't properly make out. Likely some sort of peer pressure. The girl seemed to relent, standing up and approaching the instruments, sitting down at the grand piano. "Poor girl. Likely some hazing ritual for the Wyvern Riders." Laslow muttered, just as curious as his daughter was.

"I'm not sure I wanna watch something like this if that's the case." Soleil looked back to her steak, seeing fat all over it. She didn't like fat on her steaks. Still, she debated just giving in and eating something, so that she wasn't starving all night. "You know, I wish I could've earned my invitation to this party, rather than just being put here because I'm your daughter." She said.

"Soleil, we've talked about this." Laslow said, sighing. "If you started from the bottom like most soldiers, you'd be fighting against the world to make it to a position like this. By the time you got here, if ever, you'd be as old as I am. No, it's best to take any advantage you can get while you're still in your prime."

Soleil grabbed her fork and began to poke and prod at her steak like it was some foreign creature. "It just doesn't feel right, only being a royal knight because my dad's a retainer to Prince Xander…" She continued to idly stab her steak until a few moments later when that Wyvern Rider from before began to play.

Each note carried over to the next without any choppiness or roughness. It was all fluid motion, and even when notes grew louder to carry more intense emotion, they never sounded forced. Soleil, still holding her fork, slowly turned her head over to look at the girl play. The rest of the partygoers began to draw their attention to her as well, idle chatter fading to provide her the silence her performance so rightfully deserved.

The notes began to grow choppier and rougher, losing the sense of calm that had preceded them as the song grew faster and more unpredictable in its progression. It felt intentional, and as a result, sounded just as amazing as the rest of the song. The girl's eyes were focused intently on the notes she was playing, in a similar way to how Soleil's eyes were drawn to her. With her focused look, her red hair, her equally red eyes, her graceful figure and everything else about her, Soleil found it impossible not to feel a warmth rising in her chest.

What the song was truly about, Soleil had no idea. Even as the girl finished, giving one last triumphant note, resulting in polite applause from stuffy nobles who refused to acknowledge the true depth of her talent, Solei found herself trying to understand the meaning behind it. The girl got up from her piano, walking out of the ballroom instead of back to the table filled with her comrades. Without saying anything to her father, Soleil got up and followed her.

When Soleil found her again, she was in one of the royal gardens, walking around and looking at the various roses of different colors with awe. Soleil watched her for a few seconds until the girl noticed her presence, her body turning to face her. "Oh, um, hi." Soleil said, a bit nervously. That surprised her. Since when was she ever nervous? Especially around girls! Flirting was her forte, her most unrivaled trait!

"Hello." The girl said, her voice wispy and thin, like a silk curtain blowing in the night wind. "You were at the party, right? I spotted someone with pink hair, though I can't remember where."

"Oh, yeah! Probably me." Soleil gave a short chuckle. "My hair is pretty noticeable, isn't it? Apparently, I get it from my grandmother, though I've never met her." She blinked, realizing she was beginning to go off on a tangent. "Oh, my name's Soleil!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Soleil." The girl said with a smile on her face. A smile was good, right? A smile meant she was enjoying her presence, unless was she lying. Was this girl the type to lie? She hoped not. "My name is Caeldori."

"Caeldori? I don't think I've ever heard a name like that before." Soleil commented, rather curious. "It sounds sort of…"

"Hoshidan?" Caeldori took the words right out of her mouth. She nodded. "That's because it is. My father was Hoshidan, my mother Nohrian. I inherited more from her side in terms of appearance, but my father was the one who chose my name." Soleil would have never guessed. Caeldori was certainly right about her looks; her skin was just as pale as any other Norhian's.

"That's pretty cool!" Soleil made sure she sounded cheery enough to improve Caeldori's mood without seeming overbearing. "Not too many half-Hoshidans around." The girl's face soured a bit, and Soleil instantly began to panic.

"Yes, well, there's a rather big reason for that." Caeldori said solemnly. The war. Soleil realized that with a parentage like that, the girl must've not had an easy childhood. She didn't want to press on the subject.

"Well, you're still luckier than I am." Self-deprecation was a good tactic, right? In small amounts, at least. "I never got to know my mom. As soon as she had me, she was gone in a flash. My dad keeps telling me they were truly in love, but I bet she was just another girl he flirted with."

"I see." Caeldori didn't give away what she thought of that, which only served to increase Soleil's nervousness. What was she supposed to say? Oh, the music! She needed to compliment her music!

"I-I really liked your song!" Soleil blurted out, sounding far too nervous for her own liking. Caeldori seemed equally surprised by the anxiousness present in her voice. "I mean, uh, it was very nice. I don't think I've ever met anyone with that much musical talent."

"Oh…why thank you." Caeldori looked to be genuinely touched by the compliment. "I don't possess any particular musical talent, though. My mother taught me the song when I was little. It was the only one I ever learned. It's passed down through my family, so it was learned more out of obligation than anything."

"That doesn't change how great it was!" Soleil insisted. She spotted a hint of a blush forming on the Wyvern Rider's face. An idea began to form in her head. "If it's so easy, then prove it! I've got the least musical talent out of everyone I've ever met. I can't do even the simplest dance or play any kind of song. If your song is really one that can sound good regardless of musical talent, then teach it to me!"

Caeldori deliberated on that. During that time, Soleil began to grow nervous. Was she coming on too strong? Did she seem desperate? Gods, she hoped she wasn't. What if Caeldori found her insistence insulting instead of endearing? "Alright, I'll teach it to you." The girl finally answered, sending waves of relief through her.

"Great! Do Wyvern Riders have the same off days as everyone else?" Soleil asked, getting a nod as a response. "Then we'll meet then! I know a place with a piano where we can practice alone." Her father had kept a few musical instruments over the years, one of them being a rather old, out of tune piano. It would have to do. The two of them continued to discuss the best time and place to meet, and all the while, Soleil couldn't help thinking of it as a date. She was absolutely wrong, and she knew that, but she hoped that maybe after enough times, she wouldn't be wrong anymore.

Takumi

Still no word from the guards. They had returned after a short while, but it seemed they were instructed not to say anything to Takumi. If he had to guess, he would bet that Prince Leo was the one behind that decision. Gods, he hated that man. The way he carried himself with that holier-than-thou attitude, the way he grinned when he captured him, the secrets he was hiding, it made Takumi loathe him in a way he didn't loathe many others.

Leo could've at least done Takumi the favor of telling him if Midori, Asugi, and Mitama were alright. Every time Takumi shouted at the guards through the door, they just ignored his questions. All they did was occasionally give him a meal, opening the door and hastily shoving it through before closing it again.

When the door opened again but remained open for more than a second or two, Takumi recognized that something was different. Someone was shoved inside, landing on their hands and knees as the door shut right behind them. Takumi couldn't see a thing in the pitch-black, and so he spoke to them. It couldn't have been Midori, and the person seemed to be a woman. "Mitama? Is that you?"

"Mitama? How do you know her?" That voice sounded awfully familiar. "Wait a minute…Takumi!?" The prince's eye widened. The person who had just been thrown into his room was nowhere near who he would've expected.

"Corrin?"


	19. Answer Me

Nina

As Nina pressed her back against the wall, peeking over the corner, she knew that she had to be careful. One wrong move would ruin everything. If she was spotted, the amount of danger she would be in…it wasn't a pretty thought. She peeked again, seeing that the coast was clear. Good. Now just to move forward to a new position…

"GOTCHA!" A hand clasped Nina's shoulder, forcing a scream out of her and making her fall to the ground. Above her, laughing triumphantly, was Ophelia. "That's four times I've found your first!" The young girl put her hands on her hips, posing for no one in particular. "I'm the hide and seek champion!"

"You only won three times, Ophelia!" Nina insisted with a pouty face. "You really need to get better at math!" Nina knew that she was far superior to Ophelia in terms of her math skills. She even knew how to multiply by two!

"I'm great at math, Nina!" Ophelia insisted, forming a pouty face of her own. "Just because I won again doesn't mean you have to lie!"

Nina got up onto her feet, brushing the nonexistent dirt off her small legs. Castle Krakenburg was far too nicely kept to be dirty, no matter where one went. "Oh yeah? What's seventeen plus thirteen?"

"Uh…" Ophelia held her fingers out and began to count quietly to herself. "Fifteen, sixteen…uh…" She shook her head, bringing her hands down. "It doesn't matter! I found you, so you have to help me find Forrest!"

"Fine! But if I find him first, then I win, not you!" Nina dashed off before Ophelia could protest about how that wasn't how the game worked. She ran as fast as she could, although the halls of Castle Krakenburg were large, and her legs, as well as the rest of her young body, were small.

First, Nina checked one of the dining halls. No luck. Inspecting the inside of a ballroom only revealed a man with silver hair trying and teaching a little girl with pink hair to properly dance. The longer she spent searching, the more worried she grew. What if Ophelia found Forrest first? She couldn't give her the chance to rub that in her face.

The next stop was Ophelia's father's quarters. The three of them were allowed to play in there, so it would make sense that Forrest would pick it as a hiding spot. Sure, they had accidentally triggered one or two nasty curses due to the many dark magic books inside, but Ophelia had a knack for magic that quickly fixed them before any adults could notice.

Voices could be heard from within, which gave Nina the impression that she was on the right track. However, pressing her ear up against the door, she realized that neither of the voices belonged to Forrest. One was definitely his father, and the other sounded like Ophelia's father. "He'll be here by tomorrow? Damnit, he moves fast. We've got no time to prepare. It's just like him to be so inconsiderate."

"Maybe that's a good thing, Lord Leo." Ophelia's father suggested. "If we did make preparations, it could alert them that we know that  _they_  know. That would be disastrous for Nina." Were they talking about her? That piqued her interest. "I'm more worried about her emotional state. It's not right to do something like this, but…"

"But, we don't exactly have a choice in the matter." Leo finished, his voice as cold and calculated as ever. "We gave Nina a safe place for as long as we could, but if her relation to her father was truly discovered, then Castle Krakenburg will quickly become one of the most dangerous places she could possibly be." Her father!? Nina knew she had parents somewhere, but she had never asked. She had never really felt a need to. Her father apparently being involved with something dangerous, however, changed her interest significantly.

"Even if she handles it well, even if she understands enough to not cause a scene, what will Forrest and Ophelia think? We can't exactly tell them the truth, but I doubt they'll buy whatever excuse we cook up for Nina's disappearance." The young girl took a step away from the door as that last word sunk in. What…what did he mean by that? Another step back. Disappearance? Was she going to disappear somewhere? Another step. But where? Why?

The next step was poorly timed and left Nina falling to the floor far too loudly for her own good. The conversation stopped promptly, and the door opened just as fast. Both men stared right down at Nina with a mixture of caution and surprise. She looked right back, the pain from the landing and fear welling up in her heart making her tears well up in return. "W-what do you mean?" She asked. "Why are you saying I'm gonna disappear?"

Ophelia

Ophelia stared at her father. Her father stared back. "You're that criminal." He said rather blankly. "The one that works with Corrin." He blinked, as if he had just realized he was doing something strange, and then slipped into the attitude she knew so well. "I-I mean, aha! I have finally caught you, evildoer! You will now face the justice of Odin Dark!"

There was no way that Ophelia wasn't going to go along with this. "That is where you're mistaken!" She struck a heroic pose. "For you see,  _you_  are the evildoer! I, Ophelia Dusk, will never submit to heinous villains like you, no matter how pure your intentions may be!" Being able to talk to her father, even if he wasn't aware who she was, was still enough to make her a bit emotional, which she did her best to hide.

"It's like looking in a mirror…" Odin once again dropped his heroic act, gazing in bewilderment at Ophelia, who suddenly began to feel rather anxious. "Tell me, mysterious girl; are you from another world?" The question left a pit in Ophelia's stomach, and one thought began to repeat in her mind.  _Oh gods he knows oh gods he knows oh gods he knows—_

"Hah!" Odin gave a hearty laugh. "That look on your face says it all! From the moment I heard of you, I had my suspicions, but this proves it!" He pointed a finger at Ophelia. "You're me, from an alternate universe where I was born a woman! No need to deny it; your secret is safe with me!"

"…What?" Ophelia briefly reflected. This was definitely not what she expected to come out of this confrontation, but it certainly wasn't a bad result. She could go along with it, dissuade suspicion about her true origins. She almost did, but she just…couldn't lie to him. "I'm, um, not you. My apologies."

"Really?" Odin asked. "You're positive that you're not another me? I mean, the hair and the clothes and the impeccable sense of dramatic timing, it all fits me to a tee. I asked Siegbert about it, but he just brushed it off as coincidence. I know it isn't, though! There's no possible way that this is a coincidence! So if you're not a parallel me, then who are you?"

"I'm…" She wanted to say it. Gods, she just wanted to say it. She wanted to run up to him, wrap her arms tight around him, and tell him everything she had always wanted to say, everything she never had the chance to tell him. But she had her responsibility, and the promise that she had made with Nina and Forrest to hide their true identities unless it became absolutely necessary. Revealing who she was would only complicate things. There would be a time and a place to do it.

"I'm just a fan of yours." Ophelia answered. It wasn't technically a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. It would have to do, for the time being. "I know that we're enemies and all, but perhaps we should put our differences aside for the time being in favor of finding some way out of these ruins?"

"Hmm…" Odin mulled over Ophelia's offer, stroking his chin, seemingly deep in thought. Knowing her father, he had already decided his answer and was merely delaying for dramatic effect. "Alright, I accept your offer!" Ophelia was relieved. Fighting her father was one of the last things she wanted to do.

Takumi

"You look…different." Corrin muttered, looking at her brother. "Is that missing eye new, or was I just not paying enough attention the last time we saw eachother?" She grinned, clearly finding her little joke to be absolutely hilarious.

"Haha, very funny Corrin." Despite knowing it wasn't meant to be taken seriously, Takumi still found his hand hovering over the bandages covering where his eye used to be. It was a habit by this point, and one that only filed him with shame every time he indulged.

"Tell you what; when I see Niles, I'll ask him where he got that eyepatch of his, and let you know. I think you'd look good in one." Corrin seemed more sincere this time, though she was still being rather sarcastic about the whole affair. "Bandages definitely aren't a good look on you."

"If Oboro was here, she'd probably say the same thing." Takumi looked down. "She and Hinata…" It was still hard to really believe that his retainers were gone, but he knew that optimism would only lead to more heartbreak. Corrin seemed to understand why he was acting so dour.

"Shit, Takumi." Corrin breathed out. "I don't know what to say." She idly brushed a few strands of hair out of her face, looking towards the gentle crack of light shining from underneath the locked door.

"Well, you can tell me how you know Mitama." Takumi suggested. "She's a friend of mine." It probably wasn't the best idea to explain to Corrin that Mitama was actually their niece from the future. At least, not quite yet.

"We ran into her by the Bottomless Canyon. She was injured pretty badly, but we healed her up a little bit before things went to hell." Corrin paced around the room.

"Wait, what do you mean, 'went to hell'?" Takumi asked, growing more concerned. "Were you there at the explosion by the Bottomless Canyon?"

"Explosion!?" Corrin's body whipped around to face her brother. "What the hell do you mean, 'explosion'!?" She looked panicked, which was understandable. "Okay, just…tell me everything you know about what happened because I'm just as in the dark as you are. Once that's done, we can focus on getting out of here."

Azura

How long had she been here? She had eventually fallen back asleep, and when she awoke, she was still in the same spot, with that same mysterious man nearby, watching the horizon, perhaps for signs of danger. Her lungs still felt horrible. As she kept looking at the man, she noticed his eyebrows furrow. She looked to where his gaze was directed and saw two familiar faces.

"Hey there." Niles had his bow drawn, aimed right at him. "Care to explain why our friend is on the ground, seemingly in a pretty fair bit of pain?" Beside him, Nyx had one of her spell tomes in hand. Azura was just relieved to see that her friends were still alive. Or at least, two of them were.

"Don't worry. I'm not harming her, if that's what you're assuming." The man's calm voice was as reassuring as ever, and probably the only reason Azura wasn't having a panic attack, considering her voice and pendant were both still gone. "Her voice was damaged, so she's unable to speak."

"Your garb…" Nyx peered at the man. "You must be an acquaintance of Kana." Azura hadn't even thought of the possibility, but it would make sense. Both men hid their faces and seemed to know far more about the situation than they let on. "It makes you far less trustworthy."

The man sighed. "I understand your suspicion. If I were in your place, I'd be just as wary. But I can assure you that Kana and I mean well, even if he has a hard time getting that across." The attempt at levity worked, and Niles lowered his bow. Nyx, however, still was wary, and held her tome tightly.

The man continued to speak. "Since you two are now here, my assistance is no longer required. I'll entrust her into your care now." He turned and promptly began walking away, which told Azura that this was her last chance to get her pendant back. She sat up, motioning to Niles and Nyx and pointing to where her pendant usually would be. They understood.

"You took something that belongs to Azura, didn't you?" Niles asked, following behind the man. "I'd appreciate it if you gave it back." The man stopped walking, not saying anything. As a stillness filled the air, Azura began to worry that things could lead to confrontation. However, surprisingly enough, they didn't. The man reached into his pocket and pulled her pendant from within, carrying it by its chain as he looked at Azura.

"Never use as much power as you did, back there." The man's voice was gravely serious. "If I ever find out that you've used its power so recklessly, so irresponsibly—" He stopped himself right as his voice began to raise for the first time since Azura had met him. "If that happens, I will take this pendant and ensure you never see it again." And with that, he tossed it at Azura and resumed walking away. Niles and Nyx didn't go after him.

Soleil

It had been a few months since Soleil's first encounter with Caeldori, and ever since then the woman only drew her closer and closer in. There was something inherently mysterious about it, and Soleil felt like she had to get closer to discover it. Caeldori was true to her word and began trying to teach Soleil the song. In those few months, they had finally reached the point where Soleil was somewhat able to pull it off, albeit in an incredibly sloppy fashion.

"Better." Caeldori said, taking her hands off Soleil's. Soleil took her hands off the piano keys in turn. "Though, you're certainly still in need of extra practice." Moving her legs around the piano bench, Caeldori stood up and stretched for a brief moment. "Same time tomorrow, I assume?"

Soleil took a nervous breath, turning to face Caeldori. "Actually, I, erm…do you have anything you're doing, after this? My day's free, so we should—I mean, we can, uh…" She sighed. Gods, she had practiced and everything! Why couldn't she just get the words out? She took another breath and tried again. "D-do you wanna grab dinner? I know a really great place."

Before Soleil knew it, she was sitting across Caeldori at a small café. If she stopped to think back, she might've noticed how one moment seemed to fade into another, like a dream. She was too focused on Caeldori to care. "You know, I was skeptical, but you've really sold me on the quality of this coffee!" The girl's smile and compliment were already enough to make Soleil's day.

The two of them began to get dinner after every piano lesson, so long as both their schedules allowed it, which was more often than Soleil had expected. They'd catch up on their progress in the Nohrian army, any interesting events of the day, and other various topics. Soleil kept getting better at Caeldori's song, and Caeldori seemed to be enjoying Soleil's company more and more.

There was no doubting it anymore. Soleil had fallen head over heels for her. She had dated other girls before, but Soleil always felt like she was the confident one, the one who always made the first move, the one who ended things. When she was around Caeldori however, she felt like she could never find the right words. She became a nervous wreck just from the butterflies in her stomach.

They were sitting at the piano once again. Soleil had managed to get through the entire song with only two hiccups. Caeldori seemed to be genuinely proud, and Soleil couldn't help but blush. "Soleil…I have a question for you." Caeldori's voice was soft, almost hesitant.

"Huh? Oh, jeez, did I mess up again!?" Soleil could have sworn she only made those two mistakes! Did she mess up somewhere else? Oh gods, and she had spent so much time practicing over and over and over—

"You like me, don't you?" Caeldori's question was short and to the point. Soleil didn't need to ask what she meant by "like", because the Wyvern Rider's face said everything that her question didn't. The only response was stuttering and stammering, as well as a face that she could only assume was already bright as a tomato. "I thought so." Caeldori's smile was brighter than usual. "I like you too, Soleil."

There wasn't a kiss, a hug, or anything like that following the confession. Perhaps Caeldori didn't need one to get across her feelings. She continued the rest of the lesson as normal, as if she had never said it in the first place. Soleil messed up far more after that, but Caeldori didn't seem to mind too much. Dinner was the same, albeit with a tension that Soleil couldn't quite define.

Were they a couple? Nothing seemed different, but at the same time, Caeldori had said that she liked her. It confused her, perplexed her, made her question every little action Caeldori made. She still felt unsure, no matter how hard she tried to shake the feeling.

Three weeks later, Soleil's uncertainty sprouted into suspicion. She was pulled aside during her normal training routines with her fellow royal guards and taken into a dim room where her direct superiors began to ask questions about her birth date, family members, etc. The standard questions that opened an interrogation. "I don't mean to be rude, but…" Soleil shifted in her chair. "What is this about?"

"I've worked with your father before." One of the men said. "He's a good man. Trustworthy. Does that apply to you as well?" Soleil nodded. She liked to think she was trustworthy; she had heard all sorts of gossip, but never spread it around. She knew how to keep secrets. "There's a spy in our midst. You know her."

Caeldori. Born and raised in Hoshido, not Nohr. Her father was a servant of the Hoshidan Royal Family, and her mother was a servant of Nohr's. Selena, a close friend of Laslow. She had fled Nohr after her hidden marriage was discovered, and had Caeldori while there. At some point, she was captured by Nohr and executed for treason. Caeldori grew up within Castle Shirasagi, and was found to have natural talent abound, especially with combat on aerial mounts. That, combined with her Nohrian appearance, made her perfect material for a role in infiltrating the Wyvern Riders, and eventually, Castle Krakenburg.

They kept telling Soleil that it wasn't her fault. Caeldori must have known information about her and exploited it to gain her trust, her affection. Soleil kept thinking about everything she had told her. The details of her father's job, the information he had casually told her, details about various members of the Royal Guard. She had been an open book, and Caeldori had paid very close attention to everything she had said. There was no doubt that any and all important information that Soleil had given was now in the hands of Hoshido.

Soleil could still make things up to everyone, however. Caeldori had no suspicion that her true identity had been revealed. As a result, Soleil was given the task of luring the girl to a remote, secluded area where Nohrian forces could apprehend her. Soleil accepted this task, choosing the perfect place.

"I'm surprised by your initiative, Soleil." Caeldori said as she walked in, closing the door behind her. "Requesting extra time for piano practice certainly isn't something I expected from you." Soleil gave a nervous smile, sitting at the piano.

"Ah, well, you know!" Soleil tried not to look Caeldori in the eyes. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to keep up the act if she did. "I really do need it, if I'm ever gonna get this song down!" She began to play it but found she couldn't stop messing up. Caeldori took note of the unusual increase in mistakes.

"Is something the matter? I haven't heard you make this many errors in weeks." Caeldori sat beside Soleil, gently setting her hands on hers as always. Soleil flinched, and Caeldori noticed. "Are you alright?" The guards wouldn't be there for a few minutes. Soleil needed closure, in case Caeldori resisted. In case something happened.

"…How much of it was true?" Soleil asked. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"How much of what?" Caeldori smiled her usual smile. Soleil didn't feel happy seeing it like she usually did. She just felt sick. "I'm not quite sure I—"

"How much of everything, Caeldori?" Caeldori didn't respond to that. "How much of it was true? How much of it was just lies, made to appeal to me?" Soleil felt an aura of caution emanating from the girl sitting next to her. She didn't care. "What did you lie about? That story you told me, about when you barely missed the cutoff for joining the Wyvern Riders? Your favorite foods?" She breathed in, and out. "When you said…when you said that you liked me?"

"…So you know." Caeldori's voice was quiet and serious. The dour mood had wiped any trace of her usual smile off her face. "Someone told you, didn't they? That's why you asked for extra lessons, so they could arrest me in a secluded place. They're on their way right now, aren't they?" No response. "Answer me, Soleil."

"And why do you deserve the truth? Apparently, I never did." Soleil wanted to be aggressive, to scream in Caeldori's face, maybe even slap her if she could summon enough courage. Even now, after everything, those butterflies were still there. All she could do was sulk. "Are you gonna kill me now? It's not like it would change anything, but that's what spies like you do, right? You manipulate people into doing what you want, and then you stab them in the back."

A loud knock could be heard from the other side of the door to the room. Soleil looked over towards it. "That must be them. Do what you need to do." She looked back down to the keys of the piano as Caeldori got up from the piano bench, walking over to the door. Soleil got up as well, watching the girl to see what she would do.

The door was opened, and in a flash the soldier on the other side was disarmed and knocked out, leaving Caeldori with a sword in hand. She turned to Soleil, gripping the weapon tightly. Then, without a word, she tossed it at her. Soleil caught the weapon, nearly dropping it as confusion overtook her. She looked down at the blade, then back up at Caeldori. "We're getting out of here together."

"What…?" Soleil took a few steps towards Caeldori, who was waiting at the door. "I don't understand. What…what are you saying?"

"Soleil." Caeldori closed the distance between the two of them. "I'm saying that I wasn't lying. I got close to you in order to spy on you, to gather information, but the feelings I developed weren't fake." She slowly took Soleil's free hand in her own. "I truly, sincerely, love—"

"Why are you still lying?" Soleil's voice was quivering. "Do you think I'll believe anything you say? That if you keep lying, over and over, I'll start believing you again? What's your plan, huh?" Her voice grew louder. "Are you gonna use me to help you get out of here, then slit my throat when you don't need me anymore!?"

"Soleil, listen to me!" Caeldori gripped her hand tighter, to the point where Soleil's hand felt numb. "I'm not lying to you! I know that you have no reason to trust me, but I need you to understand that I'm not lying; not this time!"

"SHUT UP!" Soleil screamed, Caeldori went quiet. "All you do is lie. You never were honest with me, once. I can't believe I fell for a fraud of a person like you. You…" Her voice cracked. "You're staying right here. The rest of the soldiers will be here soon, and they'll arrest you."

"I can't let that happen, Soleil." Caeldori's voice indicated that she was too determined to let anyone stop her from escaping, including Soleil. "Give me the sword." Soleil didn't move. " _Please._ " Still nothing. Then, Caeldori made her move. She let go of Soleil's free hand and tried to grab at her sword, tried to take it from her.

Soleil made her choice. She chose to betray the woman she loved, the woman who just might have really loved her back. She would never know if that was truly the case. Soleil thrust her hand forwards and embedded her blade into Caeldori's chest.

And then, Soleil wasn't in the room anymore. She was in the ruins, with Midori looking over her, along with another face. A face that Soleil knew and loved. Before he could say anything, she wrapped her arms tightly around him and began to sob. She sobbed harder than she ever had before. "F-Father!" She choked out, burying her face into his shoulder. She wailed and wailed as if there was nobody around to listen. No matter how much she tried to drown her guilt, Soleil would never be able to forget that she had betrayed Caeldori. She murdered her.


	20. Alignment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the late upload.

Nina

"Something wrong, Nina?" Forrest's concerned voice snapped Nina out of her sulking. She looked up at the short-haired boy, holding a sandwich in one hand. "You haven't even taken a bite of your dinner yet." Nina looked down at the sandwich sitting in front of her, sighing solemnly. "You can tell us what's wrong. Right, Ophelia?" The girl nodded.

"Is this because I won Hide-and-seek earlier, Nina?" Ophelia asked, making Nina blush in embarrassment. She shook her head frantically, grunting in anger that Ophelia would believe that. "Then what is it? You're never this down."

"I…" Nina remembered what Leo and Odin had told her; that her a man was going to take her to her father, and that she wasn't safe in Castle Krakenburg anymore. And, of course, that she couldn't say a word of it to Forrest or Ophelia. "I'm just tired. I need to get a lot of sleep tonight."

The next day, early in the morning when the sun had just begun to rise, Leo woke Nina up and escorted her to the castle stables, where a hooded man was waiting. He glanced at Nina, revealing a gruff face with an eyepatch. "This her?" He asked Leo, who nodded. He looked back at Nina and tossed a satchel at her, which she barely caught. "Your job until we get there is gonna be carrying supplies. Don't complain." She slung it over her shoulder, realizing very quickly that its size and weight was intended for an adult, and not a child like her.

"As far as this goes, I believe we're even now." Leo said rather coldly to the man. "Don't go asking me for any more favors." Nina could tell that the two of them had some sort of history. She had to admit that the tension between the two of them left her wanting to know more, but she had the feeling that the man who was now in charge of keeping her safe wasn't going to be keen on revealing any details.

With that, the two of them set out from Castle Krakenburg. There was no fanfare, no tearful goodbyes, no satisfying conclusion. There was just the bite of the Nohrian wind and a man whose attitude towards Nina was somehow even colder. His hair was a stark white, just like her own, but she failed to make the connection. To her, he was just some stranger who would, presumably, take her to her father.

"I'm cold." They were in the woods now, a few days after initially setting off. The man, Niles, had explained to Nina that they couldn't set up a campfire, because the light and smoke would only draw attention. As a result, they both had to endure a cold night, and it was clear who was more experienced in the matter.

"I know." The man simply said, laying on the dirt and trying to sleep. Nina didn't take his desire into consideration and chose to continue complaining instead.

"I miss the castle. I miss Forrest and Ophelia." Nina was laying down as well, though she couldn't sleep if she tried. There were too many questions on her mind to even attempt the act. "Am I ever gonna see them again?"

"Not if you care about them." Niles answered with a bite to his voice that made Nina feel even more distant. "You're in danger because there are people who are looking for you. If you saw Forrest and Ophelia again, those people would just put those two in danger to get to you. All you'd be doing is putting your friends' lives at risk."

Nina paused for a while, digesting the information. Hearing that she could put her friends in danger made her feel guilty, in a way. If her presence was that much of a danger, then she knew she couldn't see them. "Why are people looking for me? What do they want?"

"They're looking for you because they want to use you to find your father." Niles explained. "They really don't like him, and they'll do anything they can to find him." Nina nodded, though she knew Niles wasn't looking at her. It was her father's fault that she couldn't see Forrest and Ophelia again. It was his fault that she had to leave Castle Krakenburg.

"I hate him." Nina muttered, curling up to try and stay warm. There was a long silence, punctuated by the wind blowing and the trees shaking. The moon was hidden by the canopy above them, creating a lack of light that at least helped Nina begin to fall asleep.

Niles let out a sigh. "Honestly, I can't blame you."

Midori

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. Too bad Midori had given hers to Soleil. "You called me father." Laslow said matter-of-factly, looking at the pink-haired girl whose eyes were still puffy and red from crying.

"Yes." Soleil's voice was cracked and quiet, to the point where Midori almost didn't even hear her. Laslow certainly did. Midori had few qualms with revealing her true identity, but she knew that even before the group fragmented, plenty of others had no desire to reveal the truth behind their situation. Soleil seemed to be one of them.

"Is there…any reason, in particular, that you called me that?" Laslow sounded hesitant, and Midori didn't blame him. It was easy to tell that he was walking on eggshells at the moment, considering the emotional distress Soleil had just been through. Midori had explained to him when he first arrived while she was unconscious that she was likely reliving a terrible event. The sobbing and wailing once she was awake only confirmed this.

"Because it's true. You're my father." Soleil was clenching her hands into fists, and whenever she unclenched them, Midori noticed that her nails had been pressing into her hands, leaving them red.

Midori interjected. "W-we should probably get moving. You two can talk about this later, I'm sure." That seemed to snap the father and daughter out of their awkward silence. They both nodded, looking around. "I guess we need to just keep heading forward. There's gotta be an exit somewhere around here…"

Midori occasionally glanced at Soleil as the three of them wandered through the ruins. The girl, while clearly in a precarious emotional state, didn't look like she was being affected by that voice anymore.

**"Useless. She is useless."**

Midori stifled a gasp as another piercing headache hit her, accompanying the voice in her head. She placed one hand on another in a desperate attempt to calm its trembling. In all honesty, she had no idea how long she'd be able to keep moving forward.

**"Her betrayal consumed her. Broke her. She does not deserve my gift."**

The images continued to play out in Midori's mind. Her friends abandoning her, pursuing their own causes. Kana, her best friend, telling her that she was being selfish and horrible to think that Nohr couldn't also be saved. Were they right? Was…was he right? She hadn't seen him since that day. What would he think of her now?

Eventually, after enough walking, Midori stopped, the other two stopping behind her. She could hear it, further down the hall and in the dark. More than a few footsteps. Laslow drew his sword while Soleil gripped the knife Midori had given her. Midori reached for her bow, but when the first figure emerged, her hand drifted back down to her side.

Mitama stared at Midori, her eyes wide as she brought a hand to her mouth. Next to her stood Velouria, who seemed equally surprised to see her. Siegbert was there as well, and behind him was a face Midori was ecstatic to see. "Midori…?" Asugi stood there, shocked. Midori couldn't blame him; he must have thought that she fell to her death back at the canyon edge.

Before Midori could say anything, Laslow roughly grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. It was then that she noticed the rope around Siegbert's hands. "I'm sorry, Midori. Thank you for helping Soleil, but…" Laslow looked to the group in front of him, his sword still drawn. "Hand over Siegbert and Velouria. Now." Midori had just become a hostage.

Selena

Explaining everything that she knew about the situation to Prince Leo was a rather tiresome affair. The man had an insatiable curiosity and not much patience for anything outside of studying, so he was rather snappy with Selena. Unlike with most people, she couldn't afford to be snappy back. "Look, I told you everything I know! It's not my fault that I woke up miles away from where it happened!"

"I just find it hard to believe that a woman I killed myself appeared wielding a weapon that was destroyed." Leo's gaze was unflinching and made Selena feel like she was less of a subordinate and more of a suspect. Gods, she'd never get mad at Lady Camilla's constant sweet attitude again if it meant she would have to deal with her brother. Probably. Okay, so she'd still be snarky, but she'd be  _less_  snarky.

"If I may interject, Lord Leo." Jakob was standing by the door, keeping watch over the two of them. Selena never saw how Leo could take Odin of all people in as his retainer, but she could absolutely see it for Jakob. The two were scarily similar. "Perhaps questioning our two prisoners may yield information that Selena is unaware of."

"You have a point there, Jakob." Leo stood up from the chair he had been sitting on, heading for the door, which Jakob was already opening. "Keep an eye on her for me while I'm gone. My sister trusts her, but she can be a bit careless when it comes to trusting people who catch her eye." Selena nearly screamed upon hearing that, but she bit her tongue and stayed quiet.

Leo left, and Jakob shut the door. After a few moments of silence, Selena tried to strike up a conversation. "This is the part where you assure me that you know I'm trustworthy and that Prince Leo will come around eventually." She smiled while saying it, trying to make sure Jakob understood it was a meant as a light joke.

"I don't trust you, however." Jakob said with a fake smile back, one that made Selena want to punch him more than she wanted to punch anyone in her life. Aside from her mother, but that wasn't possible for more than one reason. "I've done my research on all the royal retainers. You, Laslow, Odin and Siegbert have no records of your existence before only a couple of months prior to your recruitments. You all seem rather chummy with eachother. Mysterious types may seem appealing to the Royal Family, but to me, they seem like trouble."

"Jeez, I was just trying to strike up a conversation." Selena huffed, resting her head on the table in front of her. "No need to claim we're dangerous…" It wasn't like Selena could just explain where the four of them came from. That would be a whole mess—Wait, four? Wait, Siegbert? "Jakob." She sat up, getting the retainer's attention. "What do you mean? Siegbert was a soldier in the Nohrian Army, right?"

Jakob looked rather annoyed. "Of course he wasn't. Prince Xander encountered him and his fiancé fighting off a bandit attack on a small town. They claimed that they were wanderers without a home."

"No, Siegbert was a member of the army." Selena gave a confused glare to Jakob, who returned it in kind. "Velouria told me herself. He saved her when her pack was being raided. That's when she joined up with him."

"Have you considered she may have been lying?" Jakob raised an eyebrow, treating Selena's story with caution but clearly paying very close attention to what she was saying. At the very least, it seemed like he was taking her claims seriously, albeit with a grain of salt.

"Oh, I guarantee they were lying. Siegbert couldn't have been a simple traveler and a Nohrian soldier with no records aside from personal statements to verify either." Standing up, Selena crossed her arms. "The question is; which story was the lie?" She had watched Velouria tell her story on the verge of tears. Either the girl with no sense of human social cues was secretly a brilliant liar, or something was very strange. Selena couldn't keep more mystical explanations out of the realm of possibility; experience had taught her that sometimes those unlikely stories were more likely than one would think.

The door to the room slammed open, and Leo walked inside, carrying Brynhildr in his hand. "Get your weapons, both of you." Selena and Jakob glanced towards eachother then back at Leo. "They've escaped."

Takumi

"You know…" Corrin stopped, charging at a Nohrian soldier and slamming his head against the stone wall of the fort hallway. "I didn't think you'd be the one to get us out. Funny, I was just about to employ an awesome strategy. I'm almost disappointed, in a way." Takumi looked at the ninja in front of them. Corrin had called him Kana. "So if Nina, Ophelia, and Forrest are supposedly from the future, that means you are too, right?"

Takumi wasn't familiar with the man. Midori and the others had only told him about Nina and her two friends, though they did say that they weren't the only ones. He had never really pressed for information on the others, and he was already beginning to regret that. Corrin seemed to be wary of his presence but tentatively trusted him. Takumi, following her lead, reacted similarly.

"Your weapons should be in the storeroom to the right." Kana motioned his head down the hall. "I'm going left, to secure our escape route. It wasn't being patrolled when I entered, but things could change." He was gone before either Takumi or Corrin could offer up much protest. Quickly deciding that grabbing their weapons was more important, they turned right and entered the storeroom, finding their weapons sitting on a table. The impromptu setup the Nohrians had meant neither Corrin's sword nor Takumi's Fujin Yumi were locked up, which was good news for them.

Takumi took his Divine Weapon, strapping it to his back and grabbing the knife Midori had given him. Corrin, now wielding her sword and grabbing a couple knives, noticed Takumi's casual dismissal of his yumi in favor of the knife. "Did you and the thing have a breakup or something?" She joked.

"Hardly." Takumi headed back to the door with Corrin close behind. "Ever since I lost my eye, I can't seem to aim it anymore. I haven't hit a single shot. It might as well not even work if I can't hit anything with it." Of course, the Yumi wasn't the problem. He knew it was just his own failures that were causing it to work so poorly.

"Well, that sucks. Here's hoping you'll get over whatever it is that's causing you to miss so often." Corrin spoke with a genuine sympathy that Takumi was surprised to hear. Sure, she was still rather blunt and not great with showing emotions that weren't anger or snark, but she was trying.

"Oh…thanks." Crap, that sounded way too rude. "I-I mean, thank you, Corrin!" Was that better? Takumi couldn't quite tell, and Corrin was always hardest to read whenever he was actually trying to gauge her emotions.

"I know, I know." Corrin chuckled. "Seeing genuine sympathy from me is rare. Almost as rare as me doing something that isn't selfish." Her face softened, something she tried to hide by looking away. "Leaving Shirasagi was…a jerk move. No, more than that. I was being an ass."

Takumi deliberated on how to respond. "I mean, I'm not gonna say it wasn't terrible to leave us. We needed you, Corrin. Azura, too. But…" He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not going to pretend that I don't completely understand why you did it, or pretend that I'd do anything different in the same situation."

At first, Corrin was silent, making Takumi begin to grow worried that he had said the wrong thing. Then, she turned around and gave him a big smile. "Don't think we're gonna hug like actual siblings or anything. Physical emotion is not my style."

"C'mon, do you really think I'd even try?" Takumi grinned right back. "I'm supposed to be the cold one, you know. You're really trying to take my position from me, aren't you?" Corrin let out a hearty laugh. "Let's go. I'm sure someone who we didn't knock out already knows that we've escaped."

Ophelia

"No, of course the idea of a chosen animal is far less realistic than the idea of a chosen hero!" Odin insisted as he and Ophelia walked through the hallways of the ruins. "I mean, what if there was a chosen goat? No, it's silly."

"It's about as silly as the idea of a chosen weapon!" Ophelia retorted. "I think that the universe can choose whatever it likes! We shouldn't let our own biases get in the way of that ultimate truth."

"Perhaps you do have a point there." Odin admitted. "However, I feel that there is a hierarchy of chosen things, and at the top are chosen heroes—" He stopped talking and walking, looking down. Ophelia followed his gaze and saw that he his foot had bumped into something, or rather, someone.

"Nina!" Ophelia said with a gasp, getting onto her knees next to the thief. She was still breathing, thankfully, but her being out cold was certainly a problem. "Nina, wake up." Ophelia's words did nothing to wake her from her slumber. A gentle shake did nothing either, and a much harder shake did nothing still. "C'mon Nina, wake up! It's not safe to just be taking a nap!"

"Perhaps it isn't a nap." Odin got down next to Nina. "I've heard of curses that can inflict deep sleep on the target. I don't know who or what may have been the cause of it, but it could be what Nina is suffering from right now."

"You think so?" Ophelia looked around, in case whatever had cursed Nina was still nearby. "I've heard of curses like that as well, although last I checked, there were no counter-curses that had a likely chance of reversing the effects. A place like this is not a good one to be suffering such a curse in."

"Then we'll just have to keep your friend safe until the curse wears off! We've only run into a handful of Faceless, so I'm sure it won't be too tough to have to accommodate for her!" Odin stood up while Ophelia stayed on her knees.

"Nina…" The thief didn't look like she was having a very peaceful sleep, occasionally moving her head just the slightest, with an uncomfortable look on her face. What sort of curse-induced dream could Nina be suffering, she wondered? "We need to get moving, then. An exit is still our top priority." Odin didn't respond. "Did you hear me?"

"Ophelia. Look." Was all Odin said. Ophelia got up and looked at Odin, who himself was staring at the wall in front of him. Ophelia had gazed at the walls before and found that they were all just inscribed with some unknown language. This one was different, however. "The Dawn and Dusk Dragons?"

"I would assume so." Ophelia replied. She pointed at another section of the carving. "Look here. The four Divine Weapons. Siegfried, Brynhildr, the Fujin Yumi, and Raijinto." With each name, her finger hovered over the respective weapon. It was easy to make them out by their looks. "And…" Her finger drifted lower. "And…wait…what are these?"

The four Divine Weapons weren't the only weapons on the carving. Below them were four more. An axe with a jagged blade, a bow that looked like it was made of bone, what seemed like nothing more than a simple stone, and one more weapon. One that Ophelia and Odin both recognized, and one that made pits form in their stomachs. A sword that had a cracked blade that looked like it was on the verge of breaking, and a large, singular eye embedded in the handle. There was only one possibility for what it could be. Ganglari.

"I don't…I don't understand…" Ophelia stepped back. "What is that woman's weapon doing as a carving in here? What are these other weapons?" A possibility began to nudge the back of her mind. As she thought about it, she realized that it was more likely than she wanted to admit. "Chosen weapons."

Odin quickly realized what Ophelia meant, and stepped back himself. Eight weapons, the four Divine Weapons they knew positioned directly above the other four. "Divine Weapons. There's more than four. It's ridiculous."

"It's the only idea that makes a semblance of sense. Even if they aren't Divine Weapons themselves, they must be tied to them in some way." Ophelia gazed intently at the carving. "The way they're positioned is too perfect; almost an exact alignment. It's like whoever made this wanted you to draw the conclusion just by looking at it. Odin, where did Peri get that sword?"

"Huh?" Odin brought his finger to his chin, trying to remember. "I know that it was entrusted to her by King Garon himself, but beyond that, I am unaware of its origins. Well, aside from it clearly being much older than I would have ever anticipated." How did Garon get his hands on it? Did he even know about its true origins? How many other secrets was he hiding?

Ophelia and Odin didn't have much time to think about this, as footsteps from down the hall caught them off guard. They both grabbed their tomes and raised them, taking strikingly similar poses as small flames lit above their open tomes, ready to turn into blazing fireballs to hurl at a potential enemy.

What came down the hall was no enemy. "Ophelia!" Mozu was panting and shaking, but she didn't stop running. Forrest soon was visible behind her. "Both of you, run!" Seeing Mozu and Forrest engulfed in terror was enough for Ophelia to turn the other way, ready to sprint. Once she saw Odin pick Nina up, she began to run, though not before she heard familiar giggling from where Forrest and Mozu came from. Peri was on their trail.

Nina

"Wait here." Niles entered the inconspicuous stone building, leaving Nina out in the cold to wait for him to return. She always hated whenever he did this. She never felt comfortable around strangers without someone keeping an eye on her, and the weather in Nohr just got worse the longer she spent outdoors. This time, she had had enough. Summoning all the rebellious spirit she had, she walked into the building.

It was a tavern. Nina had read about taverns and seen illustrations of them in some of the novels in Krakenburg, but she had never actually been in one. For a few seconds, the surprise of seeing various shady characters drinking away, shouting and cheering and getting into various forms of mischief was rather unseemly. However, Nina found the place oddly comforting. She began to walk around, searching for Niles. Occasionally she'd get a glance from a patron, but she paid them no mind. It was a tactic that worked with Ophelia; if she acted like she didn't even exist, she'd stop bothering her and acting all dramatic.

"Listen, I just need to borrow some extra coin. It'll get paid back to you before you'll even start to miss it, and then some." Niles' familiar voice could be heard. Nina made a turn to head over to him and eventually spotted him at a booth table, talking to a man with a scar running over the bridge of his nose.

"Funny; I remember you saying something similar the last time you 'borrowed' money from me. The time before that, too." The man flashed a grin, and Niles let out a long sigh. "Oh come on, don't act like you're the one who has the right to be frustrated. Do you really think you can just keep coming back here, asking for money over and over? What, did you think you'd be able to get something else going after you got kicked out of Corrin's merry little band?"

"I didn't get kicked out, I left." Niles quickly interjected, keeping his voice low. "And I did have something situated. I was gonna pay you back, but then some guys found me and now I'm on the run again." He sighed again, rubbing his forehead. "Things are bad this time. Worse than usual. Just about everybody who wants to come after me  _is_  coming after me, and—"

While Niles was talking, the man noticed Nina out of the corner of his eye. Glancing over at her, his grin reappeared. "Shit, Niles. So that's why you're so desperate for coin." Niles looked over at Nina and flashed her a glare. If looks could kill, she'd already be six feet under. "I didn't realize even your little girl was in trouble." His…little girl? Wait, that man wasn't talking about her, was he? "She's got that look in her eye; the kind of look that smart guys like you have. Guess she takes after you in more ways than just the color of her hair."

"No, she's not…" Niles was struggling to speak. Nina took a step back. She was young, sure, but she wasn't daft. She understood what that man meant. "Nina, I can explain." She didn't bother waiting for an explanation. Even as Niles had begun to say something, she wasn't listening; she was running. She ran past the other patrons and out of the bar, back into that Nohrian cold that she had already become so familiar with.

"Nina!" Niles ran after her, and despite Nina's best attempts to throw him off by ducking into an alleyway, he easily caught up to her. He grabbed her arm and kept her from running any further away, no matter how much she pulled and yanked. "Nina, stop." She kept struggling, refusing to even look at him. "Alright, I lied to you! You happy? Do you need to punch me or something to get it out of your system?"

"Let go of me! Lemme go!" Nina didn't cease her struggling for even a second. She hated her father for putting her in so much danger, and now that she knew that he had also lied about who he was, she just hated him more.

"Listen to me. Listen to me!" He spun her around, putting his hands on her shoulders and holding her steady as he looked her in the eyes. "I get it, you hate me. You know what? You can keep hating me for all I care. But right now I am the only reason you're still alive. Here's how it's gonna be; I'm gonna take you to a safe place where you won't have to worry about this kind of danger anymore, and then you'll never have to see my ugly mug again. Just deal with me until then."

Nina wasn't entirely sure what to make of Niles' offer. On one hand, she still needed a safe place to live, and he had kept her safe for the time being. However, she wanted to spite him, to make him feel terrible for everything he did to her. For lying to her about who he was, and betraying her trust. She'd never see her friends again because of him. She'd always be in some kind of danger because of  _him_.

"Am I interrupting a tender father-daughter moment here?" Niles spun around to face the source of the voice; the man with the scar from before. He stood at the entrance to the alley, and now that Nina had a good look at his entire body, she noticed the serrated sword hanging from his belt. "You know Niles, I think I found a good way for you to pay off your debt. You and your girl must have quite the bounties on your heads." He drew his sword, and as he did, men entered the alley from behind him. They had weapons of their own, and they looked ready to use them.

"Run." Niles drew his bow from his back, taking aim at the men, who were only encouraged to start running at them. Nina opened her mouth to protest but was silenced when Niles' head snapped around. "RUN!" He screamed. Nina turned around and sprinted away as fast as she could, hearing the sounds of battle behind her. She didn't dare look back, even as she heard steel clashing against steel and weaponry tearing through flesh, accompanied by screams of pain. One of those screams sounded like her father's.

Midori

"Do you really think that we'll exchange two prisoners for one?" Asugi tried to bluff. Midori knew that if pressed, he'd easily give up Siegbert and Velouria in exchange for his cousin's safety. She just hoped that Laslow would fall for the bluff.

"He will." Soleil spoke, her voice dry. "Midori's his cousin." She sounded guilty, but that didn't stop Midori from shooting her a betrayed look regardless. She looked back with sympathy. "I'm sorry, Midori. I need to protect my friends. I'm sorry." She looked like she was holding back tears.

"So that's it then? I'm not your friend?" Midori felt horrible saying something so terrible, but the damage was done. Soleil choked back a sob as she faced Asugi. "Hand Siegbert and Velouria over. Now." Laslow kept a tight grip on Midori's arm, holding his sword near her. She didn't know the man well enough to know if he'd truly act on his unspoken threat if she tried anything.

"Perhaps we should avoid relying on threats and hostages." Siegbert suggested. "I propose a temporary alliance until we find some sort of way to escape this place." Velouria nodded, though it looked like she was only partially paying attention. She kept sniffing around as if something had caught her attention that nobody else had taken note of. "The more minds working together to figure this out, the better."

"Oh sure, so you can just stab us in the back when we don't expect it!" Asugi shouted. Mitama behind him looked more willing to try, though she didn't say anything. She seemed to still be on the fence about it. Midori couldn't see Laslow's expression, though Soleil was too emotional to read properly. As for Midori herself, she wasn't sure what to think. It wasn't a terrible idea, but it gave Siegbert and his allies an opportunity to take advantage of.

**"They'll betray you if you give them the chance. Don't trust them. They'll kill you. You have to kill them first."**

Midori's head began to hurt again. Curiously, Siegbert seemed to be in some pain as well, although he was clearly putting considerable effort into hiding it. That voice was no good, and everything it said reeked of poison and toxin. Her mind seemed to scream at her to agree with it, but as she clenched her fists tight, she managed to force out a disagreement. "We should work together. At least for now." As soon as the words left her mouth, the headache ceased.

**"You are unworthy. Your trust will be the death of you someday. When that day comes, I will not be there to save you. Remember that."**

Velouria loudly sniffed, causing Mitama to jump, startled. "I recognize this scent." The girl's face widened in realization. "I recognize this scent!" She exclaimed. Everyone eyed her with confusion and curiosity. "The scent of a Deeprealm! That's where we are! This place has that same scent that the Deeprealms had!"

"Wait, you mean that this place is a Deeprealm?" Asugi asked, seeming to forget that Velouria was supposed to be his prisoner. He saw Laslow open his mouth, likely in an attempt to ask a question, and he was quick to shut him down. "Quiet. We're talking about something important." He faced back at Velouria. "If this place is a Deeprealm, then that means…"

Mitama finished Asugi's sentence for him. "That means the Bottomless Canyon is the entrance to a Deeprealm, and that this Deeprealm must have some sort of exit. All Deeprealms do!" Her starry eyes shined with excitement. "A revelation / Allows a new hope to shine / Breaking through the gloom!"

"Fine. We'll work together." Asugi relented, albeit hesitantly. "Only if all of you are willing. I don't wanna agree to a truce that not everybody is willing to uphold." A growl in the distance signaled approaching Faceless, making the situation more heated.

"Eh, why not? I might as well take the option that increases my chance of survival." Laslow said with a shrug. "Even if I have no idea what you all are on about." He moved his sword away from Midori, finally allowing her to step away from him. Soleil did nothing to stop her, indicating her own tentative agreement.

"I too will honor this decision." Mitama gripped her staff tightly. "I'll even heal any injuries any of you may have sustained, whether you were friend or foe."

"All right then." Asugi threw a shuriken at a Faceless that emerged from the dark shadows cast by the long hallways. It slowed it but didn't stop it. "Let's focus on fighting these things first, then we can go back to finding the way out." Everybody who had a weapon readied it, and for the first time in a long time, Midori felt like she was part of a true team. The peace wouldn't last, but she could at the very least savor it while it lasted.

Takumi

"Finally, you've arrived." Kana's impatience and condescending tone was something that Takumi definitely was not in the mood for, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. This man was offering them an escape, and Takumi knew better than to ruin it in favor of quipping back. Corrin understood this as well, keeping her own mouth shut.

"Yes, we have." Was all Takumi could say without sounding rude. Kana nodded, opening the door behind him, revealing it to be an exit. The three of them stepped out of the fort and back into the seemingly endless wastes of the Bottomless Canyon. "Well, I certainly didn't miss this when I was locked in that room." He muttered, gazing around.

"I can put you back if that's what you want." The three of them spun around, looking at a redheaded girl who was standing in the doorway. "Name's Selena. I'm here to put you two back in your cells." She looked at Takumi and Corrin before glancing at Kana. "Don't try to stop me. I'm not a fan of idiots who put up fights."

"Have we met before, somewhere?" Corrin asked, peering at Selena, who peered right back, looking almost threatened by Corrin's gaze. "That's right! You're one of the Nohrian retainers, the ones I saw at the gala back in Shirasagi! You're that annoying one with the red hair."

"Annoying!?" Selena drew her sword and charged at Corrin, who barely had any time to deflect the blow with her own blade. Kana readied a shuriken, but it was knocked out of his hand by a throwing knife, sent from a Nohrian with white hair. "There you are, Jakob. Help me out with these guys, will ya?"

"Naturally, Selena. That is my job, of course." Jakob's tone made it clear that his assistance was in no way out of any desire to protect her. She just scoffed, taking another swing at Corrin, who leaped back. Takumi ran a few meters to the distance, his muscle memory already bringing his hand to the Yumi on his back. He stopped, reminding himself that he would only be putting Corrin and Kana in danger with his guaranteed likelihood of missing his shots.

Takumi held his knife, but it seemed that the four were more interested in eachother. Selena and Corrin continued to trade blows, with one attacking resulting in the other either blocking, dodging, or parrying. Selena made good use of the pauldron on her shoulder, stopping a few strikes that otherwise would have lopped her head clean off.

Jakob and Kana meanwhile were testing eachothers' abilities to the limit, engaged in brutal close-quarters combat with their weapons. They kept slashing at eachother, making skin-deep cuts, but nothing serious or life-threatening. Jakob sent another throwing knife flying, grazing Kana's arm and opening a slightly larger cut, which only spurred him onto the offensive, where he threw his own shuriken at Jakob, opening a cut on his cheek.

Takumi felt a familiar weight in his hands, and looking down, realized he had subconsciously grabbed the Fujin Yumi. He could feel its power hum, sending gentle vibrations into his hands and up his arms. It was as if it was trying to speak to him. He never felt as if he could properly understand it, though sometimes he wondered if it was telling him not to worry about that. The hum was reassuring, calming, like a summer's breeze carrying warm winds that would send one's hair gently blowing.

Selena kicked Corrin in the stomach, sending her to the ground. "You know, maybe I'll just kill you here and now to save myself the trouble of keeping you alive! I'm sure I'd get a good promotion regardless!" Takumi knew that the redhead meant it. All at once, every warning in his head went off at once, blaring to him that Corrin was in danger. Selena was running at her, ready to take advantage of her disoriented state. He had to do something.

The darkness in Takumi's vision began to clear, giving way to newly regained sight. A strong breeze seemed to hit his face as he raised the Fujin Yumi, the bowstring returning to existence and an arrow of light materializing in his hand. Kana and Jakob stopped their battle, looking over at the Hoshidan Prince. His hairband blew away in the gale, letting his long, silver hair flow down to his shoulders. Over where his eye used to be, a flurry of green and blue energy came into existence, flickering and burning almost like a flame. He could see again. His hands were no longer trembling.

" _Get away from my sister!_ " Takumi roared, sending the arrow flying at Selena. A scream of pain accompanied the girl falling to the ground, her pauldron shattered and her shoulder bleeding profusely. Corrin looked at him, shocked to the core. Then, Takumi's vision began to turn black again. The wind calmed before vanishing altogether, and suddenly he felt so very tired. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

Ophelia

How in the world was Peri able to run so fast? She had been consistently gaining on them ever since the chase began, and unlike Ophelia and the others, Peri seemed to just refuse to get tired. She just kept giggling and laughing, occasionally taunting them. It didn't help that Odin had to run with the still-unconscious Nina in his arms. "There's gotta be an exit somewhere around here!" Forrest insisted, panting heavily but not slowing down for a second.

"Even if we find one, Peri's still right behind us!" Mozu said, being the member of the group who seemed the least affected by the sprinting. "It's too dangerous to put up a fight against her when she has a sword that strong!" Considering the havoc it had wreaked on Shirasagi, it could very easily spell disaster if Peri was forced to used Ganglari's power.

Turning into another hallway, Ophelia had to stop herself from running right into the woman in her way. She stepped back, and the others stopped behind her. "Ophelia! What are you—" Forrest stopped, realizing why she had stopped. Rinkah stared at the group, her spiked club in hand.

"Oh? You stopped running! But it's no fun if you don't run!" Peri whined, gaining ground at a much faster rate now that they had stopped. Without a word, Rinkah pushed past Ophelia, walking in Peri's direction.

"Rinkah, don't!" Mozu shouted. Rinkah paid no attention, gripping her club tightly. Peri's speed began to slow, eventually turning into a brisk walk. Looking at Rinkah, she flashed another childish grin, raising Ganglari.

"Another person to kill? Well isn't this just fantastic!" With Ganglari still raised, Peri kept walking closer. "You're all gonna make Ganglari even stronger, and then I can kill even more people with it! Oh, this is going to be so much fu—" Rinkah was blindingly fast, swinging her club straight at Peri's face and connecting. Blood splattered the walls, floor, and the two women as Peri fell to the ground, slumping against the wall. Ophelia could see blood leaking down her chin and dripping down, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to see just how heavy the damage had been.

There was a still, dreadful silence for a few moments. A glimmer of hope had even begun to light up in Ophelia's chest. Then, Peri laughed. It was a choking, raspy laugh, but a laugh nonetheless. She stood up, driving the sword into the ground as support to help her regain her balance. "Really? That was a cheap blow, you bitch! Don't think I'm down for the count just because you—" Peri was interrupted yet again by another swift and brutal blow, this time to the shoulder. She choked and gargled out a cry of pain, which was replaced by a new one as Rinkah struck again, hitting her side.

Peri yanked Ganglari from the ground, but Rinkah was quick to hit her arm, resulting in a crunching sound that made Ophelia feel sick. She wasn't even sure how Peri was alive at this point, but the woman kept clinging to life, even as Rinkah continued to ravage her with her spiked club. Finally, Rinkah delivered a blow to the side of Peri's neck. The blue-haired girl stopped struggling, instead staring at Rinkah in shock. That stare lingered for a few seconds, then a few seconds longer.

The expression morphed into one of sadistic glee, and in the briefest moment, Peri swung up. It all happened so fast that Ophelia needed a few seconds to realize what had just happened. Peri slumped to the ground, coughing up copious amounts of blood, but it was nothing compared to Rinkah. Her right side was already drenched in blood, spurting from the fresh wound where her arm used to be. She turned to face the others, confused and agonized. Her eyes became droopy, and she began to fall, only to be caught by Mozu.

"Rinkah! Oh, gods…" Mozu shook the girl. "Rinkah! RINKAH!" Shallow, erratic breathing was all she received. "No, no, stay with us! Don't you dare leave, you can't leave!" Mozu's head snapped up to look at the others. "We have to do something!" Behind her, Peri was already attempting to rise back up to her feet, somehow still alive and conscious.

Ophelia assessed the situation in the blink of an eye. Someone would need to carry Rinkah, but it would significantly slow down the group. Peri would soon be back on her feet. What they needed more than anything was a distraction. Ophelia opened her tome and sent a fire spell right at Peri, setting the woman's arm ablaze. Peri screamed and Ganglari glowed a bright red, the red mist from it surrounding her arm, somehow preventing it from taking damage from the flames. That, of course, didn't mean she wasn't in agonizing pain. "Go. Get Nina and Rinkah somewhere safe." Ophelia spoke softly and firmly. Her usual grandeur was gone, replaced by a serious and calculating attitude.

Mozu wrapped part of her brown cloak over Rinkah's bleeding shoulder, trying to tie it into a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Forrest looked terrified. "We aren't gonna leave you here to fight her!" He insisted.

"Yes, you are!" Ophelia shouted. "This isn't a request, it's an order. I'll be fine. After all, what sort of chosen hero would I be if I couldn't fight off one girl?" She knew that Peri was more than just "one girl", but she couldn't let that dissuade her, or convince Forrest and the others to stay and fight. She cast another fire spell, hitting Peri in the side before turning to look at Odin. "It really was nice to see you. This won't be the last time we meet, I guarantee it!"

Odin looked at her. What was he thinking at that moment? Was he wondering just who she was, or perhaps considering staying behind? Whatever his thought was, it brought a smile to his face. "You as well. I'll hold you to that. Chosen heroes must stick together, after all." Mozu hoisted Rinkah into her arms, getting help from Forrest to carry her as they all rushed off.

Still on fire and somehow still fully conscious, Peri slowly began to get up. "So, you must have some sort of regenerative abilities! Just what I'd expect from a maniacal villain of your caliber." Readying another fire spell, Ophelia grinned as she once again began to act like a legendary hero. "Let us do battle!"

Nina

Nina's room was rather humble, all things considered. A small lantern sat at a desk which had been stolen from a nobleman a few years back. Its spacious cupboards allowed Nina to store various reports and documents about her group's affairs, as well as a few stories she had written, the contents of which made sure Nina kept them well hidden. She wasn't fond of sharing some of the more risqué stories of hers with others, even the members of her vigilante group that she trusted the most.

The people bound with their hands behind their backs, kneeling on the floor, were not people that Nina had trusted, hence why she had put her hood up, taking advantage of the low lighting of the room to obscure her face. One of her men had found them snooping around the outside of their secret headquarters, and they were very quickly captured. Both were wearing dark cloaks that obscured most of their faces, but they must have been around her age. "So, my guys told me that you two have been snooping around. Naughty, naughty."

Nina walked over to one and felt the fabric of the cloak. Much finer than many would permit; the sign of someone with a decent amount of wealth. The other stranger nearly jumped up when Nina felt the cloak but stopped themselves. "My, didn't you ever learn to respect the privacy of others? I thought that was standard for nobles like you." A gentle flinch in response confirmed her suspicions. "I thought so."

Nina grabbed the hood of the cloak and yanked it down, revealing blonde curls and soft, hazel eyes. They stared up at her defiantly, and she grinned right back. "Well, aren't you a delicate face. Reminds me of those pretty tea sets I like to smash whenever I rob some prissy noble like you. That's why you're here, isn't it? I robbed some relative of yours and you just couldn't let it go, right?

"Don't speak of my lord that way!" The other still-hooded woman shouted. "Send one more insult his way and I'll burn you to a crisp!" Nina wasn't sure what was more interesting; the girl's adorable threats, or that she called the pretty face in front of her "him".

"Aww, did I touch a nerve?" Nina made sure her tone was dripping with malice. "And who might you be? Some maid, doing your lord's bidding?" She waltzed over to the girl and promptly pulled down her own hood. Messy, blonde hair spilled out, and the face that accompanied it made Nina step back. That fire in her eyes along with her appearance reminded her so much of—

"My name is Ophelia Dusk, retainer to Prince Forrest! You will surrender to us now, or face the wrath of the Nohrian Royal Family!" Forrest!? She couldn't mean that the boy sitting next to her was…oh gods.

"Ophelia, you weren't supposed to say that!" Forrest whined, making Ophelia's face go bright red.

"R-right, sorry! Um, he's totally not Prince Forrest! Nope, no way!" Nina was only partially paying attention by now.

"What…what do you want?" She leaned against her desk, putting her hand to her still-obscured face. In-between her fingers, she saw Forrest give Ophelia a confused look. It was likely that neither had expected that sort of response.

"We've heard of your prowess." Forrest began to speak, putting on a brave face. "You seem to be able to break into any place, find any person, crack any lock. We need you to find someone. In return for your services, I'll ensure you are pardoned for all of your past crimes."

"Oh? Quite the ballsy move, don't you think? What are all your royal friends gonna think about you and your family when you pardon the girl who stole from them?" Nina countered, her voice bitter. It couldn't be them, it just couldn't. She needed it not to be them.

"I don't care what they think. I just…" Forrest looked away. "I need to find my friend. I was told she was dead, but when I was in my father's quarters I found evidence that he had been lying to me about the circumstances of her disappearance. I've been trying for years to find her with no luck. I need someone with your skills and connections to find her for me."

Nina took a deep breath and tried to think rationally. After about a minute of silence, she looked up from the ground at right at Forrest. "I want all of my men pardoned, officially. I don't give a damn about myself, but you can bet I'll take the chance to keep them safe. Do we have a deal?"

"That's a lot of people, but they aren't quite the figurehead you are…" Forrest contemplated his own answer. "Alright, deal." He was still just as smart as he was when they were little. Gods, they had both grown so much. Ophelia looked fiercer, more determined, and her hair was somehow even messier than when she was little. Forrest looked radically different, yet Nina could still see that little boy she had grown up with.

Nina grabbed her hood and pulled it down, letting the lantern on her desk illuminate her face for the first time. If the situation wasn't so fragile, she would've laughed at the looks on their faces. "You've found me. What do you want?"

" _Nina!?_ " Ophelia shouted. "It's—I mean, you're really—oh gods, you're—" She stopped, taking a breath. "You're really…you. This isn't a dream, is it? I'm not suffering some hallucination induced by the gods above, a test to try my emotions?"

"Hey, Ophelia. Still got that charm I made for you when we were little?" Nina asked. The blonde nodded nervously. "And Forrest. You're…different." Was all Nina could really say without sounding rude. She wasn't quite sure what to make of his different appearance.

"Ah, yes. Well, I developed my own sense of fashion, I suppose." Forrest's words were calm, but it was obvious that he was trying not to hyperventilate. "I just can't believe that you're here. In front of me. What do I even say?"

"You can start by telling me what you want." Nina answered. Forrest and Ophelia began to explain the situation. The war between Hoshido and Nohr was growing direr by the day. At the rate things were going, it would be only a few years until Nohr's war economy would no longer be able to sustain itself. When that happened, collapse was inevitable. It was already too late to change things.

"We've discovered a way to fix everything, to stop this brutal war before it starts." Forrest explained. "But it requires us to go somewhere where it's more than likely that we will never return. I wanted to find you, to take you with us, but now that I see how capable you've become…you must come with us, Nina."

Nina looked down at the floor below her. "…You know, the last time someone told me to come with them, I ended up stranded in an alley, having to owe my life to my stupid father. He sacrificed his life for mine, and I still hate him regardless. Every moment of my life after I was forced to leave has been betrayal after betrayal. So why should I trust you for a second?"

"Because we're your friends, Nina." Ophelia answered. "That's never changed, and it never will." She said something else, but the words began to drown out as if everything was under water. Nina felt her eyelids grow heavy.

**"Betrayal. It consumes your life, follows behind you at every step. You have not rejected it, or been broken by it. You have embraced it and continued to live in spite of it and because of it. You are worthy of my gift."**

The next thing Nina knew, her eyes were wide open, she was gasping for air, and Forrest was looking at her with shock and relief. "Nina! Oh gods, Nina, I thought you would never wake up!" She was set down by whoever was carrying her, and before she could say anything, Forrest's arms wrapped around her, embracing her. As Forrest held back tears, a thought pressed into Nina's mind.  _Has he always been this…cute?_

Forrest got up, wiping a single tear from his face. Nina didn't realize that she was blushing furiously. "C'mon, we need to go. We're in danger and—" Forrest stopped talking as Nina stood up. Directions flooded her head, and she felt an intense desire to follow them. She didn't speak, she only ran. She ran past Forrest and the injured, unconscious Rinkah, paying both of them no heed.

How long she had been running before Forrest's shouts, begging her to come back, faded into the distance, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she was getting close; so agonizingly, painfully close. She could feel it calling to her, beckoning her and wishing for her to accept its gift.

Nina blinked and found herself in a large room with a domed roof, a stark contrast to the hallways she had previously been in. Light shined from an unknown source, hitting a pedestal in the very center of the circular room. There, sitting on the pedestal was a bow that looked as if it was made from bone. Her sprint slowed to a run, which slowed to a walk. She blinked again and was now standing in front of the pedestal, staring down at the bow.

Nina reached down and grabbed it, feeling no weight, just the cold of the weapon. A whisper spoke to her in her ear, or perhaps her mind, speaking one word.  _"Skadi."_  She spoke it herself. It felt foreign to her lips, but when she said it again, it felt more familiar. One more time and it was as nostalgic as speaking her own name.

The bow burst into purple flames, raging over her arms and spreading over her entire body, engulfing her in a pure agony that was indescribable. She had fallen to the ground in a matter of seconds, writhing in pain. She couldn't even hear her own screams over the roaring flames. As her vision began to fade to black, she saw feet begin to approach her. They stopped in front of her, and the legs bent, followed by a hand reaching down. Nina, desperate for any kind of help, took the hand.

* * *

Everything went white. The light hit Midori and her group, blinding them and leaving them asleep, soon to awake outside of the Bottomless Canyon. It hit Forrest's group and Peri, doing the same to them. It blasted out of the canyon itself, distracting Corrin and Kana, allowing Jakob and a wounded Selena to escape. It caught the attention of Shigure, who was still recovering his voice after using his pendant to lessen the impact of Azura's own song, managing to save her and a few random others from falling into the canyon. It stopped Leo, who was on his horse in search of his escaped prisoners.

The light was not visible in Castle Krakenburg, yet King Garon was aware of it regardless. Sitting on his throne, his eyes opened, and a grin formed on his sickly face. "So, the last Divine Weapon has found its owner at last." He gripped his axe tightly, gazing at its distinct, jagged blade. "After all these long years…my dream will be realized."


	21. Two Peas in a Pod

Nina

"Nina…Nina…" A sing-song voice whispered. "C'mon Nina, it's time to wake up. Niiiinaaaa!" Ugh, couldn't she just stay asleep? Her body ached all over, and she felt so comfortable. Just five more minutes. Or ten. Or a hundred…yeah, a hundred sounded like a good place to start.

A searing pain on her cheek silenced Nina's thoughts of sleep and forced her to open her eyes. "What the hell did you do that—" She stopped, looking above her. Blue eyes looked right back, belonging to a face that looked remarkably similar to her own. No, wait, it  _was_  her own. "…For…" She finished.

A smile formed on the face that looked like Nina's, even though Nina knew that she wasn't smiling. "A good slap to the face does the trick with you, eh? Good to know." Fully awake, now, Nina sprung up, the girl above her stepping back to allow her the space to get on her feet.

They were in a forest of dead trees, and if the gray sky and equally gray ground were any indication, it was likely nearby the Bottomless Canyon. The sky and ground, however, weren't the only things that were matching. The girl in front of Nina had not just her face, but her hair and clothes, every stitch in the fabric down perfectly. "Woah, calm down there." The girl held up her hands. "See? I've got no weapons. Don't you trust yourself?"

"This isn't real." Nina slapped her own cheek, feeling the sting of the girl's own slap return. The pain was definitely real, but then again, she felt everything in her dreams from before. "This is another one of those dreams I was having before I grabbed that bow."

"I have a name, you know." The girl sounded almost offended. "You know it, so you've got no excuse not to use it. Though, Skadi doesn't exactly fit the new look I've got. Maybe a new name's in order? That's what I did for my last wielder." By this point, she was talking more to herself than Nina.

"Definitely one of the dreams." Was all Nina could mutter out, too struck by disbelief to properly handle the situation. The girl stopped talking to herself and turned her gaze back to Nina, her eyes narrowing.

"This isn't one of those dreams. You proved your worth. Putting you through more of that would just be overkill." She took slow, deliberate steps towards Nina, who backed up cautiously. When Nina's back hit a tree, she looked behind herself, startled. Turning back, the girl's face was inches away from hers. "Don't worry. I don't bite." The faux reassurances did nothing to quell Nina's growing fear, and she had a feeling that that was exactly the point.

"What happened to the big, booming voice that was in my head?" Nina asked, feeling her discomfort grow by the second as the girl refused to back away a single inch. "You're certainly not acting or sounding very much like it." There was no sign of anyone else being nearby, which meant Nina and this girl were all alone, a fact which made her skin crawl.

In response to Nina's confusion, the girl gave a cocky grin, one that Nina found infuriating to look at. Gods, did she really look this damn smug? "That was the old me. I change to suit my wielder, and boy was my last wielder a real stick in the mud. Being trapped with a personality like that really makes the next few thousand years or so unbearably dull. I like this one much better. I feel strong, confident, smart…" Stepping back, the girl finally gave Nina some elbow room. "Though how much of that feeling is actually backed up, I'll have to see. Maybe you're just unbearably egotistical."

The sting of the insult hit Nina hard, and her blood was practically boiling as a result. "Shut up!" The outburst helped her realize that she needed to calm down, and so she took a few deep breaths as the girl just watched her silently with what looked like curiosity on her face. "Besides, I don't see that bow anywhere around here." She reached to her back, noticing her own bow was gone as well. She must've lost it at some point in the ruins.

"What do you mean? It's right there." Giving a puzzled look, the girl pointed towards Nina's hand, which was at her side. Looking down, Nina stifled a gasp as she saw that cragged bow sitting in her hands, purple flames gently crackling around it and her hand. Her first reaction was to throw it, and it slid across the dirt. "Would it kill you to show a little more respect? I get it, you're in charge, but I'm also a pretty powerful and really old weapon. The least you can do is not treat me like I'm poisonous to the touch."

"It was on fire!" Nina retorted, checking her hand for burns, only to find none. "Or…I thought it was." She looked at the bow and saw that yes, it was still burning, but the grass surrounding it had yet to actually burn in tandem. It was as if the flames were dancing around each blade of grass, never quite touching.

"You don't want me to hurt the grass, so I won't hurt the grass. In the same way, I doubt you want me to hurt yourself, so the flames aren't gonna burn you." The girl explained, lackadaisically waltzing over to the bow, picking it up, and tossing it back at Nina, who caught it and reexamined the weapon, taking note that she was telling the truth; it didn't burn her. "The reason why those flames lit you up like a match when you first picked it up was because I had to look at you from head to toe, inside and out in order to change myself."

"Wait, the person who approached me when I was about to black out…" Nina began to speak, trailing off as she saw the girl nod.

"Yup, that was me. I took your hand to make sure we didn't wind up anywhere crazy once that Deeprealm collapsed." The girl began to explain. Nina opened her mouth, but the girl continued before she could say anything. "Yes, that was a Deeprealm we were in. Yes, I'm the one responsible for collapsing it. I didn't exactly need it to harbor me anymore, now did I? No, I can't just make new ones whenever I like, that's way more difficult. Does that answer all your questions and concerns?"

"All but two." Nina put her hands on her hips. "First of all, are you saying it was dangerous for the Deeprealm to collapse? What could have happened if you hadn't protected me?"

"You might've wound up fine if you were transported out like everyone else. Then again, you might've wound up with your leg stuck inside of a tree, squeezed to mush." The tone was far too casual for the subject matter. "I can't guarantee that the others who were down there didn't get that same treatment. There sure were a lot of them, so I'd be willing to bet at least one of them—"

"Alright, alright, I get it! I swear if one of my friends is hurt because of that…" Nina didn't have any kind of credible threat; after all, she was dealing with something very powerful and far beyond what she could comprehend. She had the feeling it was simplifying everything it said so that she could understand, and it created the sensation of being talked down to, something which irritated her to no end. "Whatever. Second question. What are you, exactly?"

"Me?" The girl gave the same smile Nina would give when trying to con someone out of a precious belonging, feigning innocence and kindness. "I'm a Divine Weapon. You're my wielder. We're inseparable now, like two peas in a pod!" The innocence began to give way to a more sinister tone. "Which means I know everything about you. All your thoughts, feelings, habits…your rather recent crush on a certain effeminate prince…"

Nina's face lit up bright red as she felt her cheeks flush with heat, embarrassment welling up in her chest. Just as she was about to speak, she heard something with had been missing since she had woken up; the sound of nearby footsteps. She grabbed the girl and shoved her into a nearby bush, landing right on top of her. The girl opened her mouth, but Nina promptly covered it, silencing any potential speech. The footsteps were drawing closer.

Selena

"Gah!" Selena winced as Jakob's grip on her arm slipped for the briefest second, causing her shoulder to once again flare up with pain. "Shit! Damnit, shit, son of a—" She tried to stop herself, knowing that being too loud could attract potentially unwanted attention. Quieting her voice, she spoke again. "Can we stop somewhere? I need to rest." Nodding, Jakob guided her toward a fallen tree, sitting her down and letting her catch her breath.

"Don't take too long, Selena." Jakob peered around, checking to make sure they weren't followed. Selena did the same, and due to her exhausted state, missed a strange rustling in a nearby bush. "The sooner we get back to the fort, the sooner I can use a staff to heal that wound. The bandages I had on hand aren't exactly going to fix it up very efficiently."

"I know that, dumbass." Each word Selena spat was laced with venom, despite her best efforts to not take her pain out on her fellow retainer. "That stupid Hoshidan and his stupid magic bow! He broke my favorite pauldron! I wasn't actually gonna hurt his sister, I was just being all intimidating…"

"If you weren't wearing your pauldron, it would've been very likely that the force of his shot would've taken your whole arm clean off. You should consider yourself lucky." Jakob looked up toward the sky, his eyes narrowing. "That light earlier…what in blazes was it?" It had saved the both of them by distracting Corrin, Takumi, and that ninja, but Selena couldn't shake the feeling in her gut that it seemed familiar to her.

"Beats me. Does it even matter right now?" She stood up, not wanting to linger longer than she needed to. "We've got more pressing issues. Siegbert, Velouria, and possibly even Soleil have questions that need answering, we still haven't seen Odin and Laslow, and we have to report to Prince Leo that the prisoners escaped. That's what we need to focus on, not some crazy light." She took a step and stumbled slightly, catching herself before she fell. She cursed, loathing how her injured shoulder was throwing off her balance. "Can you give me a hand here?"

"Of course." Jakob wrapped his arm back around Selena, allowing her to lean against him as the two continued on. For such a jerk, he was surprisingly reliable in situations like this. Maybe he was more of a softie than let on. Then again, maybe he just didn't want a scolding from Prince Leo for letting his sister's retainer die.

The amount of foliage in this part of the canyon was surprising, considering how dead and lifeless the rest of the area seemed to be. If she wasn't having issues standing up straight, Selena might've found it beautiful, but at the moment, it was only another nuisance in the way of proper movement and navigation.

That is, until the foliage nearby burst into flames, sending the two of them down to the ground due to their unstable footing and surprise. Thankfully for Selena, she landed on her uninjured shoulder, but it sent ripples of force that made her shoulder light up with pain like a signal fire. Jakob sprung back up to his feet, bending over and grabbing Selena to help her back up. Shouting could be heard nearby, with voices that sounded vaguely familiar. The two looked at eachother, nodding in unspoken agreement that it was worth the risk to check it out.

"Restrain her, now!" A voice shouted from nearby, one that could only be Prince Leo. Jakob brushed branches out of the way, accidentally slapping Selena's face with some of them in the process, though she bit her tongue. "Tighten those bonds, make sure she has no chance of escaping."

Stepping out of the trees and into a clearing, the two of them saw Prince Leo watching a few Nohrian soldiers tying up what looked like some of Corrin's people. Selena recognized the archer with an eyepatch, the young girl, and the blue-haired one who claimed she was Princess Azura. The spell tome laying face-down on the ground next to the young girl told Selena that she was likely the cause for the firestorm that erupted in the foliage. "Lord Leo." Jakob said, announcing his presence. Leo turned to look at them, quickly noticing Selena's wounded shoulder and ordering a cleric to tend to her. The cleric rushed over and replaced Jakob as Selena's support, using her staff to begin tending to her wounds. Relief filled Selena's shoulder almost instantly, and while she was still in great pain, it was wonderful to feel it finally begin to diminish.

"Hey, uh, Lord Leo?" Selena said as she noticed one of the soldiers tying Azura's bonds particularly tight. "Maybe you shouldn't be treating her so rough." The look Leo shot her was enough to nearly scare even her into quiet, but she had a feeling it would be better to explain. "I saw her before, and she claimed she was Azura. Like, the  _princess._  Your sister."

It was hard to read Leo's expression. There was definitely curiosity there, but Selena couldn't figure out anything beyond that. He turned to look at Azura, who was staring right back at him with her own unreadable expression. "Is this true?" He asked, his voice low. Instead of answering, Azura pointed to her chest, making an "x" motion over it.

"She's damaged her voice, apparently." The young girl clarified with a tone that oozed contempt towards the prince. "You should be healing her, not tying her up like a common criminal." She and the man with the eyepatch looked over at Leo, waiting to see how he'd respond.

"Selena." Leo looked right at her. "How's your shoulder?" The intent of his question was clear. If she was going to survive without any more treatment for the time being, he could divert his cleric's attention to Azura. She felt like she could get by, so she told him so. In response, he ordered the cleric to get to work on Azura.

It was then that Selena spotted Siegbert and Velouria, whispering to eachother with solemn expressions, nearby the group. Selena headed to Prince Leo, lowering her voice to a hushed tone only he could hear. "There's something fishy about those two, if you don't mind me being frank. Jakob and I were talking, and we found out they've got two completely different stories about their past life. Siegbert says they were wanderers, but Velouria says they were soldiers. One of them is lying."

"They wouldn't be the only people serving the Royal Family with pasts shrouded in mystery." Leo reminded. "Unless you, Odin and Laslow would like to explain your own blank past?"

"There's a difference here. They knew about three people who work with Corrin. Three people who might as well not have even existed before we were made aware of them. I can't see how three talented criminals would have absolutely no criminal records. Even Corrin had one she had gained before her status as a princess was made known." Selena's gaze narrowed to match Leo's. "There's something else. I was with Soleil, a mercenary who was hired by Siegbert's personal request. She was drunk, and mentioned something about how Siegbert was worried she'd 'let something slip.' I think they know more about those three members of Corrin's group than they're letting on." The two of them glanced back at Siegbert and Velouria, who had stopped chatting, and were instead looking right back. The eye contact was brief, but it gave Selena the feeling that they might've been talking about her and Leo too.

Corrin

How on earth was Takumi this heavy? Corrin had both his arms slung over her shoulders, allowing her to lug his unconscious body through the wastes of the Bottomless Canyon, but his sheer weight slowed her down considerably. Was it just his clothes, or was he really that heavy of a guy? She wished Kana had stuck around instead of vanishing like he always did, because she really could've used the help in carrying her dumb brother.

There that word was again. Brother. It came to her so easily now, rolling off her tongue effortlessly. Not only that, but when he attacked those Nohrians, he had called her his sister with a similar ease. Having a family, a mother, brothers and a sister, it was a foreign concept to her. She had Uncle Shura, and Niles, and Rinkah, and they weren't related to her, but they were her family in a way. Having people in her life who were actually related to her by blood was…well, she couldn't quite explain what it felt like.

After some more time of walking with no friendly faces in sight, Corrin decided to rest, setting the still sleeping Takumi against the base of a tree. Hearing her stomach growl softly, she began to look for any possible food, despite knowing her chances of finding fruit or animals in a dead place like this to be rather minimal. She spotted a denser area of forest in the distance, but getting there would mean picking Takumi back up and hoisting him another couple dozen miles.

She debated the idea of climbing one of the trees to scout the area. The lack of leaves on any of the trees meant anything that she could see could likely see her, and the trees themselves looked ready to snap and fall at any moment. It was remarkable how quickly Corrin had already grown to hate this place with every fiber of her being.

Well, the trip to scrounge for food turned out to be a bust. She knew that she couldn't stay out looking for long, leaving the unconscious Takumi alone and vulnerable. Why did he have to go and pass out on her? It was really a jerk thing—

The thought running through Corrin's head stopped as she felt a shuriken gently press against her neck, an arm wrapping around her stomach. "Any sudden movements and you're dead." A man's voice whispered into her ear. A quick analysis of her options told her that any attempts to try to escape would take too long for her to achieve before having her throat cut open.

"Listen, I'm really not in the mood to fight any more than I already have today." Speaking was rather tense considering the blade against her throat, but Corrin knew the power of a good negotiation. "I've got a…friend, waiting for me. He's unconscious, and I don't wanna leave him alone." She didn't want to reveal her and Takumi's status as royalty until she knew whether or not the person holding her was someone who wouldn't take advantage of the fact. "We've got supplies we can trade for our freedom." A lie, but one that could get him to lead her to a more favorable situation.

The man took a few moments to decide how to respond. "Doc!" He called out. "I found someone!" Corrin's eyes darted around to look for who he was calling for. A young girl with green hair stepped out from behind a tree with a bow in her hand, an arrow notched but not drawn back.

"I can see that, Asugi." She strapped the bow to her back, stowing the arrow in a quiver hanging from her large backpack. "You couldn't have handled it on your own? We still haven't gotten that lady into a state where she isn't on death's door. Mitama can only handle so much without my help."

"Mitama?" Now there was a familiar name. "You mean the girl with pink hair, right? You two are her friends?" Corrin's question drew a more alert gaze from the young girl. "You're the people with Takumi, then. He's the friend of mine I was talking about. I'm his sister, Corrin."

The young girl looked to the man holding Corrin. She nodded, and he let Corrin go. "Nice to finally meet you, Corrin. My name's Midori." Turning around, Corrin faced the man, who was a surprisingly handsome ninja. "That's Asugi. We're not sure how much Takumi's told you about us."

"Oh, he's said a lot." Corrin answered. "That's not what's important right now. What matters is that he's unconscious, and you guys should be taking care of him so that I can look for my friends." Neither Asugi nor Midori spoke in response, instead looking at her with expressions of concern. "What? What is it?"

* * *

Mitama sat on the ground with a staff in hand, hunched over a familiar face. At first, Corrin was overjoyed to see Rinkah alive and safe. When she noticed the girl was missing an arm, she realized that "safe" might not have been the correct word to use. "Rinkah!" She shouted, rushing over to her friend and getting on her knees, leaning over so she was staring right down at her face. Rinkah was breathing and conscious, slowly opening her eyes.

"C-Corrin…?" She breathed out with considerable effort, grimacing and wincing. "Corrin, I—" She tried to sit up, using her remaining arm as support, but Mitama swiftly and gently pushed her back down. In response, Rinkah let out a low, guttural growl that made Mitama back away for a brief second.

"Rinkah, don't." Corrin spoke firmly, making sure her friend didn't try anything else. "Mitama's a healer, she's here to help. You do whatever she says, alright?" The response from Rinkah was merely a passive grunt and a turn of the head. "Sorry about that, Mitama. If she acts up again, let me know." After taking note of the tourniquet around Rinkah's shoulder that looked almost identical to the cloth Mozu would wear, Corrin got up and walked over to Midori and Asugi, who had been watching. "What the hell happened to her?" Corrin quietly asked.

Asugi was the one to answer, crossing his arms. "Beats me. We found her shambling through the forest, just about ready to black out. Mitama says the situation's bad, though. Her wound's had very little treatment since it was inflicted, and it's likely been infected. Midori's used some of her medicinal herbs, but she's gonna need much more than any of Mitama's staves can give her. She needs something more powerful for that wound."

A sigh escaped Corrin's lips as she ran her hands through her hair, her mind working overtime on all the thoughts and questions that were running through it at the time. Niles, Azura, everybody else, they were still missing. However, Corrin knew that as long as nobody else had suffered an injury as serious as Rinkah's, they'd almost certainly be fine. At least, she hoped they'd be. She needed to prioritize keeping her alive. She looked out at what little piece of the horizon was visible through the trees, trying to think. When she saw something familiar in said horizon, an idea finally formed.

"Takumi's south of here, a few miles at most." Corrin told the two of them. "I'm gonna take Rinkah off your hands, so you guys can keep my dumb brother safe." She remembered what Takumi had told her, about their plans to destroy Nohr. "Listen. I don't agree with what you're doing. I think you're doing the wrong thing, but it is for the right reasons. I get that you're on some righteous path or whatever, but…think it over, even if you think the time for that has passed. I used to think I would never accept Takumi as my brother, but the big idiot grew on me." She gave a warm smile to Midori, who puzzlingly returned it with a defensive glare. It seemed she wasn't a fan of Corrin's advice.

"Where are you gonna take Rinkah?" Asugi asked inquisitively. "I'm not even sure where exactly near the Bottomless Canyon we are anymore; not after what happened down there." Corrin raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure one of your friends was probably down there too. They can tell you about it."

"I see." Corrin gazed back towards the horizon, letting a recent memory play out in her mind. "Once Rinkah's stable enough to walk, we'll get out of your hair." She hoped she'd run into a few of the others on the way, and not just because she'd need help with Rinkah. She wanted to know they were safe. On the horizon, a volcano loomed, billowing smoke that rose into the cloudy skies above.

_"She was the daughter of the chieftain of the Flame Tribe, a neutral country that resides in a no man's land between Nohr and Hoshido, nearby a volcano."_

Corrin didn't have the luxury of worrying about what would happen, not with Rinkah injured as severely as she was. Thoughts about how Rinkah would react to their destination, or how she'd be able to carry on with Corrin with only one harm, or if she'd even carry on at all, were pushed to the side. Keeping her friend safe was the only thing she needed to worry about.

Nina

"Where are you going?" The girl asked, walking behind Nina in a leisurely fashion. She was definitely an annoyance, but since she was the consciousness of the Divine Weapon Nina now found herself stuck with, she couldn't exactly get rid of her. Besides, the plethora of useful information she had to give Nina, such as the knowledge of how to summon and dismiss the bow at will (Apparently it was all in the flick of the wrist) made her worth keeping around, albeit at arm's length.

"You heard those two Nohrians. I can't think of any other Hoshidan with a magic bow besides Prince Takumi. The redhead mentioned a sister, and I'm willing to bet that sister is Corrin. That means she's out here somewhere, and I need to find her." Nina glanced back for a brief second. "What should I call you, by the way? You mentioned you didn't want to be called Skadi."

"Hm…" The girl put a thumb on her chin. "I'm not sure. I definitely need a name, though none come to mind right now. Perhaps you could help me out? Two heads are better than one, especially when they're the same head."

Nina gave it some thought. "Well, what was the name you used to go by? The one you used for your last wielder?"

"Devar." She answered. "I went by the name Devar. Though it's a man's name, so I'm not sure how much good it'll do me with a form like this…"

"Vara." As soon as the name was in her head, Nina spoke it out loud. She felt her cheeks flush red, worried that the name was too dumb to accept. After all, it was the first idea she had, and she never did have very good first ideas.

"Vara…hmm…" The girl muttered. "Vara…Vara Vara Vara…" She repeated it over and over, as if she was testing the way it rolled off her tongue, the way it sounded, the way it felt to say. "I like that name. I think I'll stick with it until I can think of a better one." Nina was secretly thankful that she seemed to enjoy the name. "Anyways, in case you were wondering, I don't know what happened to Corrin, unfortunately." Vara spoke with faux regret. "I only could keep tabs on those who were in my Deeprealm, and Corrin wasn't one of them."

"Yes, well that's too bad—" Nina stopped talking and moving, realizing the implications of what the girl had just said. "Wait, does that mean that you do know what happened to the people who were there with me?" She spun around to face Vara.

"Up until the moment the Deeprealm collapsed, yeah." She idly played with one of her braids. "There were a lot of people down there. More than a few were people you knew." She started listing off the names. Midori, Soleil, Siegbert, and many more. She knew about Siegbert, Velouria, and Soleil, but she had no idea that Midori had traveled with Mitama and Asugi. Knowing that Midori was still around, with her crazy ideas about destroying Nohr, was worrying.

Nina asked the first question that popped into her mind. "Is Forrest okay?" The regret was almost instant, making her go crazy from embarrassment. A mocking laugh coming from Vara certainly didn't help. "Whatever! I'm just worried!"

Vara's laughter died down. "Don't worry, Forrest was fine." She paused, her smile fading. "Mozu was fine too, even if she had to carry Rinkah near the end."

"Carry Rinkah?" Nina noticed the faded smile, the more serious voice. "Why would she have to carry her? Did something happen?"

"That girl, Peri, the one who was wielding my sibling Ganglari, happened." Vara walked to one of the numerous dead trees and leaned against it, crossing her arms. "Rinkah beat her senseless, but a good beating isn't gonna stop someone with a Divine Weapon, especially one that can regenerate flesh and blood. So, Peri chopped her arm clean off. I don't know if she's alive now, but she was losing a lot of blood."

Nina's heart sank. "Oh, gods…I hope she's alright. Who was carrying me while I was unconscious? Was it Ophelia?"

"No, it wasn't Ophelia. She stayed behind to fend off Peri so you all could escape." Vara looked down at the barren ground. "Like I said, a good beating wasn't going to be enough to stop her." The gravity of Vara's tone spoke volumes, and suddenly Nina felt very scared and very small.

"Vara…? What happened to her?" Silence. "Tell me what happened to her." Nina's voice matched how small she felt. Vara looked up at her.

"I think you already know, Nina."


	22. Unique Case

Mozu

There were many things in life that Mozu regretted, something that was natural for someone as nervous and anxious as she was. She regretted the time when she was little and ran away from those bullies instead of helping one of her friends. She regretted going out into the forest to hunt as a young teen and almost getting mauled to death by a bear she didn't notice soon enough. Her most recent regret was not waking up before that Nohrian, Odin did. If she had, he wouldn't have had the chance to bind her wrists and bring her to a nearby camp full of Nohrian soldiers.

Odin had already caught up to her when she tried to run once, so he had his hand on her arm to make sure it wouldn't happen again. However, upon seeing Niles and Nyx tied up against a wooden pole stuck in the ground she tried to break free once more, only for just about every soldier in the camp to turn their gaze to her, giving her the realization that she would have no chance of making it past all of them.

After waiting to see if she was going to try anything again, Odin continued onwards, asking one of the guards where Prince Leo's tent was. Mozu, now aware of the presence of Nohrian royalty, felt no better about her situation. In less than a minute the two of them were stepping into a large tent, coming face to face with Prince Leo himself.

He stood over a makeshift table with a map laid atop, presenting a scribbled map of what must've been the area around them, if the large illustration of a canyon was any indication. To his left was a girl with red hair and pigtails, and to his right, a young man with short, blonde hair, who couldn't have been any older than twenty, not much older than Mozu herself. She recognized them both as members of the group that had been hunting her, Corrin, and the others through Nohr. Leo looked over at Odin, relief briefly visible on his face. "So, you're alive. Good to hear." His eyes darted to Mozu. "Who's this?"

"One of Corrin's comrades, milord!" Odin explained with his usual dramatic flair. "We had briefly assisted eachother in that miserable ruin, but now that we have somehow found our way out of it, we are enemies once more!"

"Ah, so you were in those ruins as well." Leo's eyes closed in frustration. "Siegbert explained what he knew, though it was precious little. I imagine you don't know much more about them?"

Mozu looked at Odin, whose eyes were alit with excitement. "On the contrary, Lord Leo, I unearthed a shocking, startling discovery! For you see, I found myself upon an ancient carving that depicted the Divine Weapons! Here's what is fascinating about it, however; there were four more weapons depicted below them! A bow, a stone, an axe, and a sword that looks identical to Ganglari!"

The inside of the tent suddenly felt as if its temperature had dropped. Leo was staring at Odin with complete disbelief, while the other two were in differing stages of confusion. The silence went on far too long, and it was eventually Mozu who finally broke it. "That means that weapon is important…right? Because Peri might still be around here. I mean, she was down in those ruins with us, so she must've wound up near the same place we woke up at."

"Peri…" Leo pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long sigh. "I thought leaving her to bleed out would be enough, but she somehow got her hands on that accursed blade. I can't help but feel that this is my fault." Putting his hand down, Leo looked at Odin. "We need to stop Peri. Put her down like the animal she is."

"If I may interject, Lord Leo," Siegbert began, speaking calmly and smoothly. "I don't believe killing Peri is our best course of action. If what Odin is saying about that carving is true, then she may know something about Ganglari's relation to the Divine Weapons. It would be best to capture her."

"Capture her, you say?" Leo sighed once more. "Damn it all, you're right. There's too much we don't know to afford to end her just yet. We need to formulate a plan of action to take her captive. First, though..." He looked back to Mozu. "Tie this one up with the other two, and send a scout to the nearest friendly outpost. We're going to need some support to keep these captives under control if Peri's to join them."

Odin escorted Mozu out of the tent and over to Niles and Nyx, who were both looking at her with a mixture of relief and worry on their faces. Once her bindings were adjusted around the same pole, and Odin left, the three of them immediately began whispering at once. Realizing they couldn't understand everyone at once, they all stopped and tried again.

"Where's Corrin and the others? Are they safe?" Nyx asked.

"I don't know, that's what I was gonna ask you!" Mozu's response wasn't the answer that Niles and Nyx wanted to hear. "I woke up next to a Nohrian who took me in. What about you two?"

"Woke up? Why were you asleep in the first place!?" Niles demanded, furious. "We've been looking for everyone since that big flash happened, but the only person we could find was Azura. The prince found us, and he found out she's his sister, so he's got her in one of the tents for now."

Mozu looked around, noticing Leo exiting the tent and walking to another one, going inside. "Probably that one." She muttered, focusing on it. "We need to get out of here, somehow. Do you guys have a plan?"

Leo

"It really is you." It was tough, believing that this really was Azura. As she sat on the ground in the tent, looking up from the book she was reading, Leo felt a pang of nostalgia. Her eyes were that same piercing yellow they had always been, the kind that seemed to look past any masks a person would put on and get straight to the real person beneath.

"Hello, Leo. It's…good, to see you." The pause in her sentence was telling of her true feelings. "How have you been? Last time I saw you, you were so little. Time really does fly." She set the book down, standing up, and Leo noticed how they were practically identical in height. "I must apologize. Back during the gala, I had ample opportunity to visit you and the others, but I chose not to."

Remembering the gala, Leo frowned. "Perhaps it was for the best that you didn't. Being there would have just put you in danger, considering the events that occurred. I'm just thankful that none of us were harmed by father's insane plan."

"So this was Garon's idea. I had assumed so, but hearing it as fact feels…I'm not quite sure, actually. It's most definitely nothing good." She cleared her throat, taking a deep, slow breath. "I'm still recovering my voice; apologies if I pause like that again." It was interesting, seeing that she still had her habit of apologizing for things that didn't need apologies.

"Yes, well, I'm sure he will be happy to see you, Azura." He tried to change the subject to something nicer. "I know that Xander and Camilla will be, for sure. You haven't met Elise before, but believe me, she'll take a liking to you before your first conversation with her is even over. That's just how she is, always warming up to everybody she can."

"There's a reason I didn't go back to Krakenburg after I left Shirasagi." Azura's response was plain and simple, and Leo hated that she had to bring the real issue to light. He wanted to just pretend that nothing was wrong, but he knew that was never the case. "The attack killed Sakura. She was like a little sister to me, Leo. Any love I still held for Garon disappeared the moment that happened."

"I understand that, Azura. Really, I do. If something, anything had happened to our siblings, I don't know what I would have done. But Nohr is still your home. I can't just leave you to go do whatever you please, especially when you've decided to work with a foreign princess who's hell-bent on causing as many problems as possible." He sighed, knowing trying to convince Azura to see things his way was going to be a challenge.

"Corrin's a good person, Leo. I'd trust her with my life. You, on the other hand…" She sighed yet again, closing her eyes. "You clearly aren't quite the Leo I remember. He was much more kind, and much more willing to listen." She opened her eyes, staring daggers at Leo. "Now, if you've nothing else to say, I'd like to continue reading my book. I wish to enjoy the time I have left before Castle Krakenburg swallows me back up."

If there was one tendency that was visible in every single child of the royal family, it was stubbornness. Xander displayed it in his refusal to believe father had done something inexcusable with his attack on the gala. Camilla's stubbornness came in her inability to ever let something go. If she failed a mission or was reprimanded by someone she cared about, she never seemed to be able to shake it off. Elise was stubborn in her efforts to make every problem have the best solution she could find. Azura and Leo himself both displayed similar stubbornness in their convictions. That's how Leo knew this conversation wasn't going to lead anywhere. Without speaking another word, he turned and exited the tent.

Nina

At least she had found Forrest. That was the one, undoubtedly good thing Nina could say about her day so far. She had gone through hell, physically and mentally, and wound up with a doppelganger that inhabited her new bow. At least Vara could disappear whenever she pleased, which helped save Nina from a headache-inducing explanation when she ran into the Nohrian prince in the wilderness.

As she sat in front of the campfire the two of them had set up, Nina could hear Vara talking to her in her head. She could feel the weight of Skadi in her hand, despite nothing being there. Holding her hand to her face, she slowly clenched it into a fist, but she could still feel the bow's weight.  **"Best not to tell him, Nina. About me. Remember, I'm cut from the same cloth as Ganglari, and when you tell him what happened to Ophelia, he's not gonna be too keen about me. He'll start suspecting that you're gonna become the same as Peri. Not that you would, of course. Not my style."**

"Something wrong?" Forrest's question snapped Nina out of her concentration. She brought her hand down. "You've been kinda distant since you woke up in the ruins. What happened to you, exactly? You just ran off without saying a word. I was worried."

**"Lie to him. Say it was some kind of magic that put you to sleep, made you relive bad memories. Say you're alright now."**

"It was some kind of spell." Nina lied, going along with Vara's plan. "I don't know who cast it, but it knocked me out, made me remember some things I didn't really wanna remember. I'm fine now, I just…I found Ophelia." Forrest's eyes widened, but before he could ask, he saw Nina's handshake. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She felt the familiar warmth of tears streaking down her cheek. "I was too late…"

Forrest said nothing. He looked down at the ground, his breathing growing heavier as he began to tear up as well. Neither of them spoke for a while, instead choosing to remain silent. Nina wondered what he was thinking. Was he angry at her, for running away instead of staying? Maybe if she hadn't run off, if she had stayed, she could've—

 **"Don't be stupid. That would've relied on nothing but coincidence and timing. Her death isn't your fault."**  Vara sounded just as distressed as Nina was.  **"We need to make the person who did it pay. Shoot an arrow, hit her right between the eyes, let her burn to a crisp. We need to make her suffer ten times more than Ophelia did."**

Nina didn't disagree with Vara's sentiment. She wanted Peri to die, and she wanted to be the one to kill her. She had killed people before, of course, but it was always out of necessity or self-defense. Never before had she wanted to  _kill_  someone as much as she wanted to kill Peri. As her thoughts turned to an image of Peri being burnt to ash, she saw a brief flicker of purple fire appear in the palm of her hand. A loud gasp escaped her lips, the thoughts disappeared, and the flame was snuffed out.

It seemed that Forrest didn't notice any of it, and for that, Nina was grateful. "Get some sleep, Forrest. I'll keep watch." The prince didn't argue, laying down on his side and closing his eyes. She waited until she was absolutely sure that he was asleep, and then flicked her wrist in the way Vara taught her, summoning Skadi. Her palm erupted into flame, formed in the shape of the bow, and in a split second, the bow was there. She examined it, looking at every angle, noting the cracks that ran through it, how touching it really did feel like touching bone.

Eventually, just looking at it wasn't enough. She felt a desire to fire it, and so, after looking around to make sure nobody was around, she got up and walked a ways away, eventually coming upon a fallen tree. She looked at it and held her bow at the ready. Then, as if by instinct alone, an arrow of concentrated flame ignited in the palm of her left hand. She nocked the arrow, drew the bowstring back, and fired, sending the arrow soaring. It tore a hole right through the trunk, splintering off wood that quickly burnt up into charcoal. It was dangerous to be doing this, but she didn't care, she just wanted to release all the pent-up stress and anger.

Another arrow formed in her hand, so Nina fired it too. She kept it up, shooting more holes into the fallen tree until it snapped in half, collapsing into more bits and pieces. The split ends were charred a dark, ugly black, and as she looked at them, she realized just how strong Skadi really was.  **"Nice shots. Glad I got stuck with someone who knows how to aim to save her life."**

Nina shot the tree again. "Shut up."

**"You sure? Because there's—"**

Another shot, more powerful. "Shut up!"

**"Really, Nina, we have—"**

"SHUT UP!" The next shot practically obliterated one of the pieces of the tree into tiny little bits of charcoal, still burning and turning into ash. Nina's breathing had gone heavy, and a drop of sweat went down her forehead. She rubbed the sweat off, letting out a sigh. It was then that she spotted something out of the corner of her eye, and quickly spun around, nocking an arrow and pulling back on the bowstring. Just as she was about to fire, she realized what she was aiming at.

"…Nina?" Forrest stood there, fear in his eyes as he stared right at her. He was afraid of her, afraid of the bow she had aimed right at him. The arrow of purple flame snuffed out into nothing, along with the bow itself.

**"I was gonna say that we have a spectator."**

"What was that?" Trembling, Forrest took a step back. "Nina, what did you do? How did…I don't…" He was at a loss for words, and Nina couldn't blame him. What he had just seen was beyond belief, and with the news about Ophelia, she knew that he was just in that much more of a precarious state.

**"Say something! Tell him about the bow, but you can't tell him about me! He'll think you're going crazy!"**

"Forrest, I can explain!" Opening her mouth again to actually deliver the explanation, but finding that actually coming up with one on the spot was quite the challenge. "I…um…"

**"Real smooth, Nina."**

"Nina, what in the world was that!? It was like a bow, but all I saw come from it was flame! And that tree, what even happened to it?" The tree in question was still smoldering, split into multiple large chunks. Seeing flames still crackling over certain parts, Nina began to panic, hoping they wouldn't spread and cause a forest fire. As soon as the thought entered her mind, the flames flickered out.

A good enough half-truth finally sprung to life in Nina's mind, and she acted on it. "I was gonna tell you, but then I found Ophelia, and everything got so complicated, I wanted to wait until things had calmed down!" He was buying it, at least for the time being. "When I ran off, I found this bow. I think it was what the ruin was hiding. As soon as I touched it, it became bound to me, in some kind of way."

Forrest was still troubled by everything, so Nina flicked her wrist, summoning the bow back into her hand. "Look." She held it so that Forrest could get a good look. "See? It's burning, but I'm fine. It only hurts things when I want them to get hurt. Forrest, this can help us! We can use it!"

"You found a flaming bow in the middle of a ruin at the bottom of a canyon that Ophelia  _died_  in, and you want to use it!?"

"I want to use it so that what happened to her doesn't happen again, Forrest!" Nina shouted furiously. "If I lost you, I don't know what I'd do! I refuse to let anyone I care about get hurt again! We haven't even found Corrin or the others yet, and we need to stay safe until we do! I just…" The bow vanished, and Nina walked closer to Forrest, taking his hands in hers. Much to her relief, he didn't pull back. "I just want to keep you safe, Forrest. I don't want to lose you like we lost her…"

Once again, Nina found herself crying. Forrest, seeing her tears, wrapped his arms around her. "Oh, Nina…" He whispered, holding her tight as she began to sob. She buried her face into his shoulder, trying to muffle her own crying as he continued to embrace her.

Corrin

_"Helloooooooo?" Corrin poked Rinkah's cheek. The girl said nothing. "Hey, can you hear me? Hey. Hey. Hey." Each time she said "hey", she poked Rinkah again. Still, nothing. "Niles, she's not saying anything!"_

_"Maybe she doesn't want to talk." The boy suggested with a shrug, tossing a small ball up into the air repeatedly, catching it every time it comes back down. "Stop bothering her." Instead of following his advice, the young girl continued to poke Rinkah, who had a blank expression and sunken eyes that looked at a wall._

_"Niles is right, kiddo." Uncle Shura pushed a hanging cloth aside as he entered their hideout, slinging his bag off his shoulder and setting it on the ground. "Let her do what she wants. If she doesn't want to talk to you, stop talking to her."_

_"But it's so boring when she doesn't wanna talk!" Corrin pouted, puffing her cheeks out. "Niles just makes dumb jokes all the time, and besides, I want another girl to talk to! I'm sick of talking about boy stuff!" As she whined, Shura walked over to Rinkah, adjusting the blanket over her shoulders._

_"I'm sure she'll wanna talk eventually, Corrin. Just give it some time, okay?"_

"Give it some time; she'll wake up in a moment."

"I just don't wanna waste time. The faster we can get them back there, the better." Who…was that? Corrin didn't recognize these voices. Her eyes began to flutter open, and quickly went wide when she saw a Nohrian uniform. She sprung up to her feet, moving her hand to grab a dagger from her side, only to realize her hands were bound.

In front of her was a face she partially recognized, mostly due to the bright pink hair. "You're one of those Nohrians. The ones who were tracking us." Corrin felt like she was stating the obvious. How could she have been so stupid? She thought she had found a safe place for the two of them to temporarily rest before continuing on, but of course, the second she fell asleep, someone found her.

"Easy, easy." A male voice from behind her spoke. She spun around to see a gray-haired Nohrian, one she recognized as another member of that group. "We already bound your wrists, so all struggling is gonna do is make you lose your balance and fall." She wasn't fully listening, looking around for Rinkah. She spotted the girl sitting against a tree, looking up at them, too tired to move.

"You're both officially prisoners of war, Princess Corrin." The man continued. "Really, I would prefer it if you don't put up too much of a fight. The sooner we get back to the fort at the Bottomless Canyon, the sooner your friend can receive the medical attention she so desperately needs."

Corrin's attention snapped back to the man. "Was that a threat!? You know damn well that we're too far from there to make it back! We're closer to our destination, and at least that gives her a chance!"

"The only civilization nearby is the Flame Tribe, and they've been notoriously isolated for the past decade or so." The man looked down at Rinkah, who was staring at him with fury in her eyes. "I doubt they'll give her any medical attention, or even the time of day."

"She's a unique case, trust me. If you don't let us go, her blood is gonna be on your hands!" The man flinched at that, looking guiltier, but Corrin could tell when a person was convinced they were right.

"L-Laslow, maybe we should let them go." The girl suggested, much to everyone's surprise. She looked just as guilty as he did, if not guiltier. "If she does die, even if she is an enemy…you're never going to get over the guilt." She paused. "Trust me."

"Alright Soleil, let's suppose we let them go. They get their medical treatment, and then they leave. They're going to continue killing more Nohrian soldiers! Unless you'd like the deaths of those men to be on your hands?"

"It's different, fath—Laslow." Corrin noticed the slip of the tongue but assumed she had just misspoken. Laslow, meanwhile, looked down and away. There was tension between the two, and it seemed like it was even harder to cut than Corrin's binds.

"Where's your Nohrian pride, Soleil? Where's your honor, your respect for your comrades? Why should they be allowed to die so a criminal won't!?" The tension was reaching a boiling point, and Corrin wasn't sure if she wanted to see where it would go.

"Oh, don't give me that crap about Nohrian pride! You aren't even Nohrian!" Soleil's shout surprised Corrin, who looked back to Laslow. He certainly didn't look Hoshidan. Was he born in one of the independent nations? A tribe, perhaps? "I don't care about Nohr, that's why I'm a mercenary!"

"You were a royal soldier once, that's what you told me. Yet you abandoned the country you once proudly served! I don't have to be Nohrian to point out how wrong that is!"

"I don't care about Nohr!" Soleil's scream was deafening, and it even made Laslow go quiet, shock replacing anger. Her face softened as her eyes began to grow watery. "I just…I just care about keeping you safe. That's why I came back in the first place."

There was a long silence as the two faced off. Neither of them seemed willing to back down, yet it was clear that they also didn't want to argue about it. Eventually, Laslow was the one to relent. "Fine. Have it your way, Soleil." He unsheathed a dagger from his belt and used it to cut Corrin's bindings. "Don't make me regret this."

Corrin knew better than to fight, so she took a few slow steps away before running to Rinkah, helping her onto her feet. She gave the two Nohrians one last look of both suspicion and gratefulness before leaving as fast as she could.

Midori

"Well?" Asugi asked as Midori stood up over the unconscious Takumi. "What's wrong with him? He's been out ever since we found him." He glanced down at him, then back up at his cousin.

"Whatever happened to him used up a lot of energy, both in terms of magic and actual stamina." Midori began to explain. "He needs to rest so that his body can get all that energy back. It's not a coma or anything, but he's gonna be sleeping for a while." She turned her gaze to Midori. "Can you keep an eye on him? I need to go think about what we're doing next."

She could tell Asugi was about to say something, but whatever it was, he didn't start. She knew that he had issues with her position as the de facto leader of the group. Said issues weren't due to jealousy, or because he didn't think that she could handle it; rather, he was just worried about her. She was still young, and Asugi never liked how quickly she had to grow up to accommodate to life traveling through the Deeprealms. If there was any kind of decent life for her to have back in their future, he wouldn't have even let her come. Still, she did what she felt was necessary, even if she didn't like it.

Once she got the confirmation from Mitama, she walked deeper into the woods. At this point, they were far enough away from the Bottomless Canyon so that they were finally in a place with a decent amount of green, and she appreciated the change. She didn't like how dead that place was. Finding a nearby river was just that much more uplifting for her.

Setting her backpack down on the ground, Midori sat down next to it, watching the river water go by. Occasionally, when she peered closely enough, she could even see part of a fish emerge from the water. She wondered if going fishing would be a good idea, to provide some quality dinner. It had been a long while since she had been able to eat something truly delicious.

As time went by, Midori began to grow more and more anxious. They were supposed to be heading to Ryoma, but what if Corrin had talked to him first? What if he just didn't agree with what they were doing? Corrin's advice echoed in her head, and she found herself growing guilty once again. Was she really working towards the right thing, or was she just too stubborn to change her mind? "What am I supposed to do…" She muttered to herself.

"I don't know." Someone answered. Midori gasped so hard that she found herself coughing, bent over and clutching her chest. She turned around, only to see a face that shocked her to the point of gasping again, making her cough even worse. "I mean, I don't even know what your options are. Even if I did, I'm not sure I'd care enough to weigh them."

"Dwyer!?" Midori was completely unsure of how to react to the young man sitting next to her. It was most definitely him, there was zero doubt about it. He had the same messy hair, terrible posture, and bags under his eyes, but it was impossible. He was gone. Midori saw it herself.

"That's my name, don't wear it out. How's the journey to the Dragon's Gate been going?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Dragon's Gate? You mean that storybook legend? Dwyer, I don't understand, how are you even here!?"

Dwyer's eyes widened for a moment before he let out a dark chuckle. "Oh, sorry Midori. I thought you were from later on. This must be the first time you've seen me since the Deeprealms. I don't really wanna go in-depth, and I don't think I have the time anyway, so here's the short and simple; I'm sorta trapped in time and space, and I need you to help me. You already are, so don't worry about messing up for the most part."

"What!? Dwyer, you're not making any sense! What do you mean? How can you be trapped in time and space?" She wracked her brain trying to make sense of what he was saying. It was all happening so fast and she knew that she had to pay close attention to every word he said.

"It doesn't matter, you figure it out later anyway. Head to Izumo, that independent nation south of Hoshido. When you get there, start looking for a girl named Severa. That's Severa with a 'v' and an 'r', it's very important that you remember that. Did you get all that Midori? Izumo, Severa with a 'v' and 'r'. Please don't make me repeat myself again, I really can't be bothered."

"I-Izumo, Severa with a 'v' and 'r'. I got it. But Dwyer, what's—" She blinked. Dwyer was gone. There was no sound, no flash of light. He was there one second, and gone the next, without any indication that he was even there in the first place. She stood up and shouted his name, but the only answer was her own voice echoing back at her.

It was funny, really. Dwyer said he wasn't going to answer her when she asked what she was supposed to do, but he ended up answering it anyway, even if he didn't realize it. She grabbed her backpack and began running back to the others. They wouldn't believe what she had just seen.


	23. Feel the Same

Rinkah

She was having a nightmare. She knew that much. If she really strained her memory, she recalled it had something to do with her childhood. Perhaps it was a more nondescript memory, just one of the many days she spent locked up in the same room. Maybe it was a more specific moment; a time someone actually spoke to her, the time she was given a stuffed bear to keep her company, or the time it was accidentally broken by one of the strangers keeping her fed, making her grab the first thing she could find and hit him with it. It wasn't her fault, she didn't know what a blade did to someone. She had never seen it before. She kept apologizing, but they threw her out anyways, left her in the snow. Gods, she always hated the snow.

She was in a hut of some sort, if the crudely made roof she was staring up at was any indication. She breathed in, then out, finding it somewhat of a trouble to do it. Clearly, she was still recovering. She closed her eyes, counted to three, then sat up, trying her best to ignore the dizziness and nausea that immediately began ravaging her. She felt imbalanced, as if there was too much weight on her left side and not enough on her right. Looking over to where her right arm used to be, she remembered why.

There was a girl in the room, standing in front of a table with a staff laying across. On the ground next to it was a large pile of blood-soaked bandages, likely previously worn by Rinkah herself. She briefly considered the idea of the girl being an enemy, but she remembered that Corrin wanted her to be more trusting. She looked again, checking for hidden weapons, secret motives, and she couldn't find any.

The girl was looking at her now, and the staff she had just picked up was quickly dropped to the floor. Rinkah looked the girl dead in the eyes and asked the only question she wanted an answer to. "Where is Corrin?" Her tone made it clear that she wanted an answer, now.

The girl was trembling in her boots, hastily picking her staff back up. "I-I'll go let her know you're awake! My apologies for troubling you!" She ran out of the door to the hut, slamming it shut behind her. Not one to idle, she got up from the bed, wobbling a bit, the dizziness remaining and combining with her new balance to nearly send her to the floor more than once.

It was only moments after the girl left that Corrin rushed into the hut, setting her hand on Rinkah's shoulder. "Hey, easy, easy." She whispered, guiding Rinkah back to the bed, sitting her down. "You are absolutely not ready to get back up just yet, you understand? You need all the time to rest that you can get."

"We're…here, aren't we?" Corrin had told her about their destination at some point when they were still traveling, though she was barely conscious when she did. The whole time seemed like a blur of memories, and she couldn't even hazard a guess as to how long they had spent getting there. With a clearer head, Rinkah had finally registered just what the consequences of being there were. "You didn't tell them, you said you wouldn't tell them."

A look of guilt was visible on Corrin's face. "They weren't going to open the gates. They said we were just bandits, pretending to need help to get their guard lowered. I had to say something, Rinkah." She looked behind her, towards the door, then back to her friend. "We can still get out of this. We'll just explain that we were lying about you being the daughter of the chieftain, in order to get help. They'll certainly have no love for us, but I don't think they're gonna make us leave until you're all patched up."

That made Rinkah look back to her right side, reminding her of what she lost. Corrin let out a sigh. "They did the best they could, but…no healer could make your arm come back. That'd be beyond asking for a miracle." Looking back at Corrin, she saw a mixture of anger and guilt in her eyes. "It's my fault. I should've been there, I should've protected you."

The girl's hands were trembling on the edge of Rinkah's bed, so she put her hand onto Corrin's, trying to calm her down. "It's not your fault." She wasn't great with showing her emotions, but she did her best to give an understanding smile. The guilt in Corrin's eyes began to fade away, but the anger remained.

"Rinkah, who did this to you?" There was a pause as Corrin waited for an answer and Rinkah revisited the memory. She had struck that girl, Peri, more than enough times to kill her, but she kept getting back up. Something was wrong about her, and there was something especially wrong with the sword that she was wielding. As she opened her mouth to answer, the door to the hut opened as well, and in walked the healer girl from earlier and a new woman, an older woman with ashen gray hair who carried a deck of strange-looking cards with her. Upon seeing them, Corrin immediately grew nervous.

"H-hello, again." The healer girl stammered out, keeping her eyes glued to the floor. "I h-hope you're feeling better. We never r-really treat anything beyond burns, s-so I wasn't too experienced with your, ah…injury." The woman looked at her, making her jump a little bit. "Ah, b-but that's not what we're here for! The guards let you in because your friend said you were s-someone important, which they definitely should  _not_  have done because that was in violation of a  _lot_  of protocols!" Her demeanor changed to a surprisingly confident one as soon as violation of protocols was brought up.

"If they hadn't, she'd have died right in front of those gates, wouldn't she?" Corrin snapped back with a shaky voice. "Regardless, I'll admit it. I lied. She's not the long-lost daughter of the Flame Tribe's chieftain. It was a convenient lie to get her medical attention. That's it."

"O-oh, yes. I mean, it's a g-good thing that your friend didn't suffer that fate!" The girl had once again become a stammering mess. "R-regardless, there will still b-be a divination session to determine the truth of the m-matter. It was ordered personally by our chieftain's w-wife." The color in Corrin's face almost completely washed away, replaced by a pale white more reminiscent of her skin tone back when she, Rinkah and Niles had barely ever seen the sun.

"Well, I'd like to talk to her about that, let her know personally that it was a lie." Corrin responded, having a hard time hiding her anxiety. She was rarely like this, and her being so nervous was more terrifying to Rinkah than any divination session. The woman set down the cards on the bedside table, picked them back up, and began to shuffle through them.

"Ah, well, she's…" the girl looked over at the woman as she shuffled through the deck. "A bit busy with the divination." Any color left in Corrin's face was drained away as the identity of the diviner was made known. Silence filled the room as the chieftain's wife continued shuffling through the deck.

Three cards were drawn at random and set face down on the table. From left to right, they were flipped over. "Strength, reversed." The chieftain's wife spoke softly. "A strong soul, driven by emotion rather than logic." She paused, turning over the next one. "The High Priestess, reversed. Withdrawal from the world, a silent heart." Finally, the last one was turned over. "The Hermit, reversed. Isolated, loneliness, detached from others."

The cards were gathered up and placed back into the deck, which was then handed to the healer girl. Before anybody could ask about the cards, the chieftain's wife stepped to Rinkah, and wrapped her arms tightly around her. She tensed up, unsure whether to shove the woman away or see what was going to happen. "Oh, you've finally returned…" The woman whispered, running a hand through the hair on the back of Rinkah's head, not letting go for a second. Looking to Corrin, Rinkah could see the look of panic on her face. "My little girl…my Rinkah…"

Selena

Her shoulder still hadn't healed. Gods damn it all, her shoulder still hadn't healed. "Stupid Siegbert and his stupid plan!" She shouted to herself as she ran past dead tree after dead tree, sharp branches whacking her face, leaving a small cut across her cheek. Behind her, she could hear that she-devil giggling and laughing like an absolute maniac. She had never liked Peri, and her recent habit of talking to her magic murder sword only made her even more insufferable.

"How much longer do you think she can run, Hans?" Peri asked her sword as she kept running at Selena, managing to never fall behind. "Oh, I can't wait to run her through! She was always so annoying and rude!" At the very least, it was almost a relief to hear Peri had reciprocated the same genuine loathing that Selena had felt towards her.

The trees around her became more and more sparse, and soon enough she found herself out of the forest and right back at the edge of the Bottomless Canyon. Gods, looking down into that thing made her feel sick. So, she turned around just as Peri emerged from the forest, Ganglari glowing an ominous misty red. "How mean of them to abandon you, all alone with that injured shoulder!" The girl taunted with faux sympathy. "Don't worry, I'll kill them too."

Standing up straight, Selena held her sword steadily in her uninjured hand, thrown off by the shift in balance, but otherwise ready to fight. Then, unable to help herself, she flashed a cocky grin. "Now whoever said they abandoned me?" It took little more than a brief moment for Peri to realize what Selena was saying, but that was more than enough time for Siegbert to spring from a clump of foliage, sword drawn.

The blow hit, gouging Peri's arm and sending her stumbling back, hissing in anger and fury. As she recovered, Siegbert backed up to stand next to Selena. "Letting her know like that was a risk I'd rather you not have taken." He chided, though she just grinned as she readied her blade, her hand wavering slightly but her gaze focused on Peri, whose wound was already closing up.

"You're the one who wanted use a helpless, injured girl as bait, Siegbert. I'm just making sure you don't get off without consequence." She glanced around briefly, growing a bit more nervous. She had assumed Siegbert would have come with others, rather than alone.

Peri charged at Siegbert, trying to take a swing at his neck. She had always trained with a spear, so it managed to catch him off guard when her swing was surprisingly efficient, lacking the sloppiness that an untrained sword hand would usually display. In a quick motion, he swung his own blade up, knocking her blow away and leaving the both of them open, forcing them to step away from eachother. Selena took advantage of the gap and charged in, forcing Peri to go on the defensive. Each strike was blocked — Selena's injury made it hard to maintain her usual form — but it kept Peri from fully recovering her own stance, and granted Siegbert the time to charge at her. Selena waited for Peri to try and recklessly retaliate, sidestepping as she did, giving her ally the perfect chance to strike.

This time, Siegbert didn't slash; rather, he thrust his blade right at Peri, embedding it in her side and leaving her stumbling back, the blade jutting out from her. Snarling and growling, she ripped it out, letting her blood pour out of the open wound, already closing shut. "We have orders to take you in, Peri." Siegbert made no motion to retrieve his weapon, nor grab Selena's. Instead, he rather worryingly began to step towards the former Nohrian retainer, even as she held both blades towards him. "Surrender now, and you'll have to endure far less suffering."

"Like hell!" Peri screamed, her frail voice cracking under the pressure of her exhaustion and rage. "I'm gonna kill you both, and then I'm gonna use your power to kill all your friends!" There was a long silence after that. Neither Peri nor Siegbert seemed willing to make the first movement, and Selena was in no place to try and attack openly with her shoulder still wounded; she was far better suited to waiting for openings that she could exploit or creating said openings for Siegbert. It had worked already.

Something appeared on the blonde's face, something which Selena couldn't entirely make out. Was it sadness? Sympathy? Some mixture of the two? "It's regrettable that you chose that. I do mean that, with my fullest sincerity, Peri." Then, as soon as it appeared, that kind face was gone, replaced with one much colder. "Velouria." If Siegbert said anything after that, Selena didn't hear. A gust of wind hit her, whistling deafeningly past her ears and nearly knocking her off her feet. Then, a blur of black and white charged at Peri, taking the girl with it. It took a few seconds for Selena to realize that blur was Velouria, in her bestial state. To be fair, if she hadn't known about the ability Wolfskin had to transform, she wouldn't have even considered the possibility; the creature was at least in the fifteen feet range in terms of height, and it must've weighed more than her, Siegbert and Peri combined. Perhaps that's why Velouria so easily picked Peri up with her jaw, clamping down and impaling the girl with at least a dozen razor-sharp teeth.

After a few seconds of trashing about, Peri seemed to finally gather the strength necessary to strike back, slashing her blade against Velouria's cheek. The Wolfskin roared in fury, tossing Peri against the ground and reverting back to her human form. Before she was even standing upright, Siegbert was at her side, checking to see if she was okay. A thick cut ran across her shoulder, blood dripping down her cheek and off her chin, soaking into the dry earth below.

Peri, meanwhile, was damaged to the point where Selena barely recognized her. Her blue hair with pink dye had been drenched in crimson red, and her outfit was more red than white. Her limbs mangled, jutting out in abnormal directions, cracking and snapping as they began to painfully reform, accompanied by a gurgled cry of pain; no doubt the result of one or two punctured lungs. It was almost enough to make Selena feel sorry for the girl if she wasn't a psychotic killer.

Limbs continued to snap back into place, wounds closing back up, though the blood soaking Peri from top to bottom was a brutal reminder of the injuries she had just sustained; that is, until the blood seemed to dry up and dissipate into nothing. Soon, she looked almost the same as she had been previously; Selena couldn't even find any tearing in her clothes. "That…really,  _really_  hurt…" Peri hissed, driving Ganglari into the ground. "I'm gonna make you hurt  _real_  bad because of that!" Purple lightning began to crackle as the sword itself began to show signs of breaking apart. An image flashed in Selena's mind of what Hans did back at the gala, summoning all those Hoshidan souls. Before she could warn the others, the lightning began to grow more intense, stronger and stronger.

Then, all at once, it stopped. Ganglari reformed. Peri looked down to see a half dozen razor-sharp tree branches jutting out through her gut. Behind her, Leo stood with a look of relief on his face as Brynhildr glowed softly. "Apologies for the delay, Siegbert." Another handful of branches shot up from the earth, wrapping tightly around her wrists, binding them together before doing the same to her ankles. Even more continued bursting from the ground, binding her until she couldn't even squirm around on the ground.

Leo approached the girl as she whined in pain, trying to break from her bindings to no avail. "It's good to see my hypotheses were correct. Odin was right; that really is a Divine Weapon in your hand. Otherwise, you'd have already died more than once. Why it chose you, I have no clue. It's a good thing that it has such an exploitable weakness. So long as it's healing you, it can't actually channel any attacks, can it?"

"SCREW YOU! LET ME OUT OF HERE SO I CAN KILL YOU!"

"I thought as much." Leo said with a sigh as he walked around her, looking at her enraged gaze. "Oh, that reminds me." One last branch wrapped tightly around her head, serving as an efficient gag. "Much better. Honestly, I thought your incessant whining gave me headaches before, but you really have stepped up your game." Turning to Selena and the others, he gave a rather disinterested look. "Carry her back to camp; I think we have a nice cage we can throw her in. It should be well suited for an animal like her."

With that, Leo began to trek off, assuming the others would follow behind him. Wordlessly, Siegbert and Velouria headed to Peri, who was letting out muffled shouts and growls through her gag. Selena watched, crossing her arms. "You're welcome, by the way…" She mumbled as soon as she knew that Leo was out of earshot. He was by far the most insufferable member of royalty she had ever worked for, but as she watched Peri get picked up and carried back towards camp, she had to admit, even if only to herself; he got results.

Rinkah

Corrin had left the hut, supposedly so that Rinkah and her mother could "Have some alone time." Rinkah knew it was more than likely that the princess just wanted to scream and break things without an audience. She herself, however, was not allowed such a situation, not with her mother and that healer girl still in the room with her. The girl had fetched chairs for the two of them, and they were both now sitting down comfortably a few feet from her bed, with the girl a bit farther back than her mother, who had called herself Rione.

"Your father is still out at the moment. He left a few weeks back on a diplomatic meeting." Rione explained. "If all goes well, he should be back in a few days' time. Though, we haven't had many of these types of meetings in a long while. I do hope he hasn't fallen out of practice with proper diplomacy." She blinked, bringing her attention back to Rinkah. "Oh my, look at me. I just can't help but worry, I suppose! Now isn't the time for that, however. There's so much we must discuss, so much catching up to do."

Guilt was about the only thing Rinkah could feel in that moment. She didn't often feel like that when she didn't want to talk with others, but the woman sitting beside her being her mother made things…different. "I'm sorry." Her voice was still dry and crackly. "I don't…" Finding the words was difficult.

"You don't remember me." Rione finished, getting a nod in return. "I assumed that would be the case. You were taken from us at such a young age, after all; barely older than a toddler." At that moment, it felt infinitely easier to understand what Corrin had gone through when she was found by the Hoshidan Royal Family. Confusion, frustration, hope, and dread in equal measures, and a panging longing that refused to cease. Longing for simpler times before the revelation or the family she had discovered, she wasn't sure.

"It's understandable that you don't feel the same about this as I do." Standing up, Rione motioned for the healer girl to leave, which she did. A few seconds after the door had been closed behind her, the woman looked back towards Rinkah once again. "Lila is quite the jittery soul. She's your age, you know. The two of you were born on the same day. Her parents saw it as a sign of good fortune, of a life filled with potential. They were right; she's the most skilled healer we've got, just by her natural talent alone. I don't think anybody else could have treated you as quickly and carefully as she did. Of course, she doesn't see any of that." Sighing, Rione glanced to the bedside table where her fortune cards sat.

"You see, Lila knew from a young age that you had been kidnapped. She was distraught about it ever since she was little, but it seemed more like the kind of sorrow that anybody in the village would feel. Then, one day her mother and father came to me, telling me that she had said that she deserved to be the one that was taken, not you. She felt as if her happiness only existed because of your hardship. Nobody's ever been able to convince her otherwise. You being back…well, it's helped her a great deal."

Even as her mother smiled softly, Rinkah had a singular, pervasive memory running through her mind; the memory of what Flora and Felicia had told her about her past. "You never tried to rescue me. You never bargained for my life, not once." Rione's smile faded near-instantly, and her gaze flashed to her daughter. "Why? Why didn't you save me?" She shouldn't have been furious. It was from a time she didn't remember, and really, it didn't matter what she wanted. If they wanted to get rid of her, then they had every right to. Who would even want her around—

She stopped. She breathed.  _Corrin and Niles don't want you to think like that,_  she reminded herself,  _so stop thinking about yourself like that._  Looking back at her mother, she noticed that she looked puzzled. "Rinkah, what do you mean? We did bargain for your life." There was a still silence that followed, one that likely spoke more than any semblance of a sentence Rinkah would have been able to string together at that moment. "It had been years since it happened. We never were able to send anyone to save you, and none of our allies were willing to take the risk for such a small tribe. That's part of the reason your father chose a more…isolated policy. The Ice Tribe waited to make an offer until we had given up hope, undoubtedly so that they could get more out of the exchange. We agreed to their terms, but they never went through with it. They claimed there had been 'complications', and that they couldn't give you back."

Rinkah remembered the time she had attacked that man, back at the Ice Tribe. Was he there to take her out of her cell, to the Flame Tribe? If so, that meant that her never coming back was her own fault. She pushed the thought out of her mind, not willing to think of the implications of that. Her distress must have been more visible than she realized because Rione gave a concerned look. "It doesn't matter anymore, Rinkah. What matters is that you're here, now." There was a feeling of warmth, of her mother's hand gently laying on her own. Pure instinct sent her hand away, and her mother shifted back into her chair with an unreadable expression. "I…imagine you must still be exhausted, from the traveling you did with that injury. I'll leave you to rest." She got up and left without a word, leaving Rinkah alone for the first time in what felt like forever. It was only then, in her isolated silence, that something occurred to her.

Why hadn't her mother asked why she lied about who she was?

Takumi

"How's your migraine?" The question snapped Takumi out of his daydream, forcing him to acknowledge the world around him. He turned to face Mitama, who was staring at him with concern as the group walked through the dense forest, packed with foliage and trees that seemed to absorb any and all sunlight, creating a still dimness around them. It was a good thing for him; he doubted the sun's harsh rays would help much with his pounding head that he had woken up to. Knowing that he had saved Corrin and done something with the Fujin Yumi that was certainly not normal was all that was keeping him from regretting even drawing the bow in the first place.

"It's getting better." He lied, facing back ahead, losing Mitama from his vision. "Though, Midori's bizarre change of priority certainly hasn't helped. Whatever happened to meeting with Ryoma, filling him in on the details of the situation?" It was understandable that she wanted to rescue one of her close friends, but he just couldn't see how that was a more pressing issue than stopping the war.

"Dwyer's the smartest man I've ever met; if anyone can help us, it's him." Mitama reminded him, making sure her voice was low so that Asugi and Midori, both a decent distance ahead of them, wouldn't be able to hear. "He may be Nohrian, but he's helped us before." Then, her voice went lower, as if she wanted to make extra certain that Midori didn't hear her. "Besides, look at her. She's hardly slept; it's given her horrible bags under her eyes. I doubt she's enjoyed the responsibility she's had, especially considering how long she's had it for. I know that if I didn't get a good dose of sleep, I'd go nuts. Having Dwyer with us would take a real load off her."

"Difference is, you love to sleep." Even though his reminder was valid, Takumi had to admit that she had a point. He felt guilty for putting so much of the responsibility on Midori, but she had assumed it so naturally, as if it didn't mean a thing to her. He had to remind himself every now and then that she was still a child.

"Oh, the joys of sleep / Escape your reality / Live your fantasy." Almost immediately, Mitama grabbed her notepad and began writing down the haiku she had just made, inciting a chuckle from Takumi. Surprisingly, instead of getting angry at him, she began to chuckle along, and before long Asugi and Midori had turned their heads back, puzzled as to what had the two of them laughing so much. "This is…nice." She said with a warm smile. "We never really spoke much back when I was a child, but when we did, you were always my favorite uncle."

"Yikes, let's not do the 'uncle' thing." Takumi laughed again. "I don't think I'm ready for that image just yet. I've got a least a few years left before I imagine seeing any of my siblings with kids." That got another laugh from Mitama, one that was a bit more subdued. Because of her quieter laughter, Takumi was able to hear a noise. Rustling, in the foliage nearby. He stopped, his hand slowly inching closer and closer to the Fujin Yumi, strapped to his back. Was it a Nohrian soldier? An animal?

His answer came from an arrow whizzing by his face, embedding itself into a nearby tree, splotched red. He brought a hand to his cheek, feeling the cut running across it, realizing that only an inch closer would've sent it right through his skull. Mitama shouted something, but he wasn't listening, already diving behind a nearby tree for cover. It was still uncertain how many there were, if they had them surrounded, or if they'd even be able to make it out, but Takumi knew for certain that they were under attack.


	24. Backhanded Blessings

Midori

"GET DOWN!" Before Midori could blink, Asugi tackled her to the ground just as an arrow went soaring over their heads. The impact left her disoriented, trying to regain her sense of direction. When she did, she was looking behind her, and she could see that Takumi's cheek was bleeding; how badly, she wasn't sure. Asugi was already looking around for the source of the arrows, and before she could think clearly, she slipped out from his grasp and ran out of the trail and into the forest, ignoring the others shouting at her to come back.

A tree branch whacked her face hard. Or was it an arrow grazing her cheek? She was too panicked to tell the difference; all she knew was that now she had a cut grazing the bridge of her nose. She unstrapped her bow from her backpack, grabbing an arrow from the quiver hanging on its side, nocking it before standing still, drawing back the bowstring and waiting for any kind of sound.

Rustling nearby. Friend or Foe? If she let loose her arrow, it was just as likely she could be hitting Asugi. How was she to get the drop on her potential assailant without the chance of harming an ally? That's when an idea hit her. She relaxed the tension in her bowstring, unslinging her backpack from her shoulders. She closes her eyes, pinning down the rustling with her hearing as best she could, and then counted.

_One._

_Two._

_Three._ Midori tossed her backpack as far as she could throw it, letting it hit the ground with a loud thud, serving as a distraction to earn her the time it took to close the distance between her and the other person. Coming out from behind the tree, she ran as fast as she could, finding herself ramming into someone. Much to her surprise, they couldn't stay standing, and the two of them tumbled down. Breaking through the foliage, she found they were right at the edge of a hill. Then, she was rolling, her bow no longer in her hands, instead gripping the person she still couldn't make out due to their constant spinning. She felt something cut her arm, and something else hit her head, and then all at once it was over, and she was staring down at the person, still in her grip. "T-Takumi?" She sputtered, but as the boy below her smiled and laughed heartily, she realized suddenly that this wasn't Takumi.

"Hey, Midori! Long time no see!" The boy with short, silver hair greeted, grinning brightly. "That trick you did with throwing something to distract me was a good one! And here I thought I was gonna win by getting the element of surprise! Honestly, though, you're lucky. That green hair gives you a lot of natural camouflage." Her anger melted away as her mind caught up with her instinct to slap him. Instead, she got off of him and stood up, brushing as much dirt off of herself as she could. The boy got up but didn't do the same, not seeming to mind. That is, except for the purple bandana he has around his neck, which he made sure to keep as clean as possible.

"Kiragi," Midori said his name both as a greeting of her own and as if she were asking if he was really there, in front of her. Another friend she had lost in the Deeprealms, standing in front of her. In the flesh. She would have hugged him if he hadn't just tried to send an arrow through her chest. Though, at the same time, she couldn't get mad, considering it wasn't the first time it had happened. "Don't ever do that again. I told you that last time, and the time before that, and the time before that."

Kiragi's face lit up in realization. "Oh, shoot! Geez Midori, I'm sorry! I completely forgot that you guys didn't like that. Plus you were just so unaware that I was watching, so it felt too easy to just let loose a couple of arrows!" In a rather unimpressive display, he stood up as straight as he could and put his hand over his heart. "I swear on my life that I won't do that again!"

"It doesn't matter if you say that or not Kiragi! Do you even know who you were shooting at!" Midori felt perfectly justified in being as furious as she was, especially since the two of them not had bruises and cuts all over themselves. "It wasn't just Mitama and Asugi and me, it was—"

"KIRAGI!" An unfamiliar voice called out, feminine and somewhat scratchy. "KIRAGI! WHERE ARE YOU!?" Midori noticed her bow on the ground nearby and went to grab it, just in case the person Kiragi was with wasn't a friendly type. He tended to get involved with the wrong crowds.

Even as the voice got closer, Midori couldn't hear any rustling in the bushes and trees. She kept her eyes peeled in front of her until the voice got close enough and she realized that in front of her was no longer the direction it was coming from. Her gaze drifted upwards, but by then, a Pegasus was already overhead, coming right down at them. Gusts of wind bellowed at her, threatening to knock her off her feet as the winged horse landed, its rider hopping off and rushing for Kiragi. "Oh, thank the gods you're okay! I've told you not to run off like that!" After kneeling down to check him for any serious wounds, she stood up and faced Midori. "Who's this?"

She was younger than Midori remembered, but she recognized the woman nonetheless, mostly from her short red hair. "Princess Hinoka!?" Upon hearing her name, the woman smiled warmly.

"No need for formalities. 'Hinoka' is fine enough." Looking back to Kiragi, she asked, "Who's this?" Upon hearing the answer, her eyes widened considerably. "You're Midori? Kiragi told me so much about you and your friends, and conveniently left out your age. I assumed you were…well, older." That certainly wasn't what Midori expected her to say, but before she could decide how to feel about that, she heard more rustling nearby. Behind her emerged Takumi, his Fujin Yumi drawn, a soft glow over his bandaged eye.

"Midori! Midori, are you—" The prince stopped, the arrow and bowstring dissipating into nothing, the glow fading as he laid eyes upon Hinoka. Before he could say another word, she ran to him and held him in a tight embrace, heavy enough to knock the breath right out of him. "Hinoka!? What are you doing here? I thought you were back at Shirasagi!"

Hinoka stepped back, looking at Takumi, before delivering a harsh slap to his cheek. "You selfish, arrogant prick!" Mouth agape, Midori watched him step back, rubbing his red cheek. "Running off with barely any notice, going on some adventure on a whim, leaving me and mother and your retainers worried sick—"

"My retainers!?" The shock in Takumi's voice made Hinoka go silent. "They're alive? Both of them?" All he got in return was a nod from Hinoka. Relief washed over his face, a smile of gratitude appearing. "I thought they were…oh, thank goodness…" He sat down on the grass and rested his face in his hands, eventually dragging them down and looking back up at her. "Listen, I'm sorry I didn't talk over it with you and mother, but it was important." It was only then that his view shifted to the boy behind her, still holding his bow. "Who…"

Kiragi took one step forward, and then another one, as if he was approaching a dangerous animal. "Dad?" His question was answered with silence, the only sounds around them being the ambient noises of nature. Takumi looked just as shocked as he was, and nobody could blame him for that. "I…thought you'd be taller."

Rinkah

Two things caught Rinkah's attention as she stepped outside of the hut for the first time since she had woken up there, over a week ago. The first was the volcano in the horizon, billowing smoke into the sky, darkening the land around it. The second was a fire in the center of town that her mother had shown her. It burned bright, almost blindingly so, but she found herself unable to look away. To her, it felt nostalgic, somehow. "Our sacred flame." Her mother spoke, standing next to her. It continued to crackle and bellow in its brazier, which was intricately engraved with images of flame and volcanoes. "It serves as our way of honoring the God of Flame, the lord of the holy mountain." She gestured to the volcano on the horizon. "We keep it forever lit, and he blesses us with fertile grounds."

"What happens if the flame goes out?" Rinkah normally wouldn't bother asking questions that didn't directly relate to her or the people she cared about, but she had become more talkative lately for reasons she couldn't quite figure out. Her feelings on it, similarly to a lot of things, were complicated.

"It did happen once, generations ago. The Ice Tribe sent a force to attack us and managed to extinguish the flame in the process. In a matter of minutes, the holy mountain erupted and wiped out their army. We suffered numerous casualties as well; a price paid for not protecting the flame properly." There was something wrong about that, something which unsettled Rinkah.

"Then are you worshipping him, or fearing him?" Rinkah asked, partially out of spite and partially out of genuine curiosity. She had a feeling that her mother didn't notice that second part. There was an awkward silence that stilled itself in the air around them as they both looked at the flame, devouring a fresh set of kindling that had been brought to it.

"Ah, I forgot to mention that there will be a festival held in your honor." Rione looked to her daughter, offering up that warm smile once again. Did she never grow tired of making that expression? Or did she just not care due to who she was smiling at? The worst part was that Rinkah couldn't detect any kind of falseness or strain to the smile. It confused her that anyone would treat her this nicely, let alone a stranger. Then again, Rione was only a stranger to her; to her mother, Rinkah was the child that had been stolen and returned miraculously. Then again, as she looked down to her bandaged shoulder, still missing an arm, she decided that perhaps it was more luck than a miracle. That is, unless whatever god bestowed said miracle was a fan of backhanded blessings.

Rione continued, taking note of Rinkah's thoughtful expression. "The people are gathering up perishable foods and preparing the festival decorations. Once your father returns, we can hold it the second he wishes. Though, I imagine he'll want to spend a day or two catching up with you! Goodness knows I did." A bubbly laugh followed her enthusiastic statement, absorbed by Rinkah's dour nature.

"Aren't you afraid?" She asked, her mother's laugh stopping in response. "Afraid I'll leave? You…haven't asked why I didn't tell you who I was. Why?" She found her hand was curling up into a fist, one that she halted. "I just…don't understand. You've been nothing but kind to me."

Holding her hands together, Rione faced down towards the ground. "It's because I'm your mother, Rinkah. I have no other reason to be kind to you, beyond that simple truth. As for why I haven't asked…well, it's because I understand why you tried to withhold that information from me." Rinkah had been facing the flame up till that point, but upon hearing that explanation, her eyes widened, looking over to her mother. "After all, we lost you. It was our faults you were taken; we lacked the vigilance that we should have been employing. Then, we failed to properly bargain for your life, and even assumed you were dead. We…no, I," A single tear dripped down to the ground, evaporating in the heat of the ground. "failed you. You have no reason to wish to stay with a shameful excuse for a mother like me—"

Rinkah blinked, and suddenly her hand was tightly holding her mother's. The woman looked up in confusion, looking her daughter in the eyes. Rinkah looked right back and spoke. "Don't say that about yourself. Please." There was a pause between the two of them, before her mother nodded, wiping the trail the tear had left from her cheek.

"LADY RIONE!" The voice of the healer girl, Lila, cried out. The two women turned, watching her run through the streets of the village, clearly exhausted. Once she was in front of them, she stopped, bending over to catch her breath. "Y-your husband has returned! He's at the g-gates!" Taking tight hold of Rinkah's hand, Rione began dashing towards the gates, dragging her daughter along with her. Rinkah almost pulled away, but decided against it, following along and finding it surprisingly hard to keep up with her.

At the gates, a group of people, mostly Flame Tribe soldiers, began greeting the citizens. Rinkah spotted a few children jumping into their parents' arms, while others greeted loving spouses. Others still simply walked further in. Rione let go of her hand, only to embrace a man in intricate, battle-hardened armor a ways away. Over the commotion of the arrivals, she couldn't hear what the two were saying, but she did take notice of his bewildered expression, one that quickly shifted to joy.

Her vision shifted around, stopping on two figures with sacks over their heads. The chains binding their hands together told her they were prisoners, but what made her focus intensely on them was the clothes they were wearing. She walked into the gathering of soldiers, right past her father, who began to follow after her. A soldier looked at her as she was getting closer. "Stay back. These two are Nohrian prisoners. We caught them on our way here. Nearly took my ear off."

Rinkah paid him no mind, and even when he tried to grab her shoulder, she brushed him to the side, walking right up to the prisoners and removing the sacks on their heads. She  _knew_  they seemed familiar. "Rinkah!?" Forrest exclaimed as he and Nina stared at her. "What are you doing here!?"

She turned around, watching her parents draw closer, unaware of her connection to the two in front of her. Turning back to face Forrest and Nina, she shifted uncomfortably where she stood. "I..." The words caught in her throat, so she tossed them aside. "It's complicated."

Leo

A small cave sat at the base of the steep face of an outcropping of rocks. Inside were dozens upon dozens of crystals; woefully common, making them near-worthless in terms of monetary value, but beautiful nonetheless. They reflected the light of the moon, illuminating the cave with their brilliant shine, to the point where one would be forgiven for thinking it was the middle of day. A small bit of moisture had begun gathering on one section of the ceiling, occasionally creating a drop of water that would fall down. It would have been quite serene, if not for the blades being held at the necks of Siegbert, Velouria, and Soleil.

_Drip._

"Lord Leo, this is highly unnecessary!" Laslow insisted as Selena, Jakob and Odin held daggers to their throats. Despite being a Dark Mage, Odin was surprisingly competent with the dagger, his hand never wavering. "If they meant harm to Nohr, they would've done something by now! Clearly, their intentions are sound!"

Leo found himself disagreeing with that sentiment. "They seem to be aware of information that we are not. By not sharing that information, these three are putting us in potential danger. In my eyes, this is just as damaging as wishing harm upon us." An exaggeration, but he was tired of the secrets the three of them were hiding. "If you wish Laslow, you can instead reveal the secret that you, Selena and Odin hide." There was a silence after that, accompanied by Laslow and the other two looking away, frowning. "As I thought. Now, Siegbert, since you seem to be the leader of this merry gang, why don't you explain," he took a few steps forward until he was inches away from the blonde. "why Soleil here insisted Laslow is her father?"

There was no response. Even Soleil, usually chatty, was dead silent. The closest thing to an answer was Velouria's scowl, the girl looking like she was about to tackle the prince. "You saw what I did to Peri. She could take it; I imagine none of you can. Now, tell me what I need to know." Laslow was visibly troubled by this. "The cat's already out of the bag, for the most part. Laslow certainly believes Soleil's claims, that she's from the future. The two of you hired her, and know her. Selena said she was hiding a secret under your orders. A natural conclusion can be reached. If anything, confessing only helps your case. Assumptions can lead to dangerous outcomes, after all." The low tone to his voice helped to communicate his threat.

_Drip._

Siegbert let out a long, low sigh. "This will make everything much too complicated…" Lifting his head up, he stared Leo in the eyes. "As you wish. It's true, we're not from this time. We come from a future Nohr, one where the war with Hoshido had no end. Both nations became crippled by the war, and even as we left for this time, they were still fighting with the pathetic husks of armies that they still had. We seek to change that."

Glancing to Selena, Leo noticed her hand was slightly trembling, likely from her still healing shoulder. The girl would never admit that she was still unsteady, but he knew even if Siegbert tried something, he wouldn't be able to get away from her. "How do you seek to alter events? What do you intend to change?"

"Events have already been altered." Siegbert answered. "The death of Princess Sakura was the first. As far as we know, the entire series of events in the Bottomless Canyon never occurred in our time. The course of this conflict has already been changed to a point where it is exponentially becoming more and more unrecognizable to us. However, there is one event I believe will still occur if we do not prevent it. The assassination of your brother."

That sent a pang of worry through Leo's chest. "Xander?" He received a nod in response. "When? How?" His mind was already racing with possible culprits, trying to figure out who would commit the act. More importantly, how could he prevent it? He already was beginning to understand why Siegbert would go back in time; that kind of knowledge is powerful.

"Many years from now. However, I believe the changing of events has thrown the timing into a spiral. Who knows when it could happen? As for the how…we never discovered who, but the situation around it told us one thing. The murderer was someone he deeply trusted."

_Drip._

Leo didn't respond to that. It was a revelation he felt he needed to ponder on for longer. "So then, those three thieves working with Corrin. They're from the future as well?"

"Yes." Upon hearing that, Odin flinched. The prince couldn't blame him; it was rather easy to put two and two together in regard to Ophelia's identity. "They know just as much as we do, and we should consider them dangerous, especially if they've informed Corrin and her comrades of the truth. We believe there are more out there as well." Leo swallowed this information and took a minute to contemplate what he was going to do about these three.

"Let them go." Leo commanded. Hesitantly, the three retainers sheathed their blades, allowing Siegbert, Soleil, and Velouria to finally take a sigh of relief. "If it came from anyone else, I doubt I'd have believed it. But you, Siegbert, are someone who clearly holds pride in his actions. However, know this; if I discover this is a lie, I'll execute you myself, and it'll make what happened to Peri look like child's play."

Siegbert nodded, and the three of them left the cave, heading back for the camp. Jakob was the first one to speak after the long silence that followed. "Are you sure this is a wise idea, milord? Letting them continue working with us?" Selena nodded with him, agreeing.

"I don't trust them as far as I can throw them." The redhead concurred. "As far as we know, they'll just cut out throats while we sleep to keep their secrets. We shouldn't give them such a loose leash to run around in." Odin's look of apprehension made it clear that the three of them were in agreement.

"Your concerns are valid." Leo admitted, sighing as he began to leave the cave as well. "However, they'll be much more inclined to trust us if we trust them in return. The knowledge they hold is powerful, and they'd prefer to use it to help us. We can't afford to throw that opportunity away in the name of caution."

"You can't seriously believe that, Lord Leo! What proof do they even have that they're from the future!?" Selena exclaimed, bewildered. Leo had half a mind to reprimand her for her behavior, but he knew it came from a place of genuine worry.

"I suppose that will be your task then, Selena. Find proof, or expose it as a lie." With that, he left the cave, the three royal retainers following behind him. He thought that this would dissuade his fears and rid himself of the pit in his gut. Instead, it felt heavier and emptier than ever.

Takumi

They all sat around the campfire, illuminating their faces in the dead of night. Mitama and Asugi were elated to see that Kiragi was alive, while Midori had a nervous apprehension visible on her face. Kiragi was naively smiling, while Hinoka occasionally glanced to him to see if he was alright. Takumi? He couldn't stop staring at the boy who claimed to be his son. The resemblance was uncanny, and he proved earlier that he was a fantastic archer when he took down the animal that they were currently roasting over the fire without issue.

Asugi had just finished explaining the situation to Kiragi and Hinoka. "So, you've met Dwyer as well then?" Hinoka asked, garnering quite a bit of confusion and surprise. "Who do you think told us to come here? He just appeared one day in Shirasagi, saying that I needed to head to the Bottomless Canyon. I didn't believe that he knew what he was talking about until he just vanished into nothing like he was never even there. It wasn't long after I set out that I met Kiragi; another one of his predictions." She smiled at Kiragi, who was currently making sure the meat was roasted properly on all sides.

Midori let out a giggle, a smile forming on her face. "That's just like him. Dwyer always was the kind of person who just expected you to go along with whatever he said. He never did like explaining himself." Even as Asugi and Mitama began to chuckle along, confusing Kiragi, who wasn't even listening, Hinoka was visibly downtrodden. Takumi asked her what was wrong, causing her to snap out of her sulking.

"Ah, sorry. It's just…your eye." As soon as she mentioned it, Takumi found himself holding his hand to the bandages Midori had applied earlier. "I can't imagine what that's like. I should've been there, fighting with you, instead of back home with mother." Takumi tried to interrupt her, to tell her it was fine, but she kept talking. "But now I'm here, and I'm ready to help. You said you were going to Izumo? We're coming with you." Takumi tried to protest, but she shot him down once again. "Dwyer wanted us to come. That means we're supposed to help rescue him. It's not up for debate."

A heavy sigh escaped Takumi's lips. "Alright, if you insist." Then, he looked back to Kiragi. The boy was in the process of removing the meat from the fire and cutting it up with a knife. He certainly wasn't normal; that much was made clear when he explained that he had attacked them because he found it fun to test ambush strategies on people. Midori had to pull him aside later and explain that he loved to train with the intent to kill. For what reason, nobody really knew; he was secretive about his past.

As Takumi kept watching Kiragi, he finally noticed the purple bandana around his neck. It was old and ragged, torn in multiple places, yet he could tell it was kept as nice as possible. "Where did you get that bandana from? It's nice." He asked, trying to spark some kind of conversation between him and his son. Even just thinking of having a son was still strange for him.

"It's mom's." He answered quickly, still cutting up the meat into numerous bite-sized pieces. Takumi hadn't even considered the idea of who Kiragi's mother actually was until the youth brought it up. The way he spoke gave Takumi the impression of longing. "I told her I'd give it back to her when she came back." The weight of those words settled in Takumi's heart as he realized what Kiragi meant by that.

"You must miss her a lot." Takumi answered, trying to offer his sympathies.

"I do. But I'll see her again. She's still here, after all. I mean, she's younger and she doesn't know who I am, but she's still  _mom_ , you know? I just have to find her." Hope broke through Kiragi's voice as he spoke. Takumi wasn't quite sure how to respond to something like that. It made sense, he supposed, but at the same time, would she really be the same mother Kiragi remembered? Was Takumi even the same father he remembered? He decided to push the thought out of his mind; it would do him no good.

Beruka

She stopped herself from fiddling with the purple bandana around her neck; it was a habit she could never break for good, despite how pointless she knew it was. However, she was able to stop it for the time due to the importance of her situation. After all, it's not every day that one is called to an audience with King Garon.

"Beruka." The man spoke with a deep, gravelly voice, one that reverberated around the echoey throne room, as if to remind her that this was his dominion. "My daughter tells me you've been a shining example as her retainer. I will admit, I did not trust her decision to recruit you, considering you had tried to assassinate her, but it seems she has proven my suspicions wrong." The memory of that night stung whenever she was reminded of it. If she had known what kind of person Lady Camilla was, she would have never even accepted that contract. She was just glad that she wasn't able to accomplish her mission.

That was a feeling Beruka wasn't used to. She grew up learning that accomplishing the mission was the only thing she needed to do, that success was a priority. The man who taught her that suffered the consequences when she was told that he was her next target. Now, though, thanks to Lady Camilla and Selena, she had learned to at least begin to appreciate other aspects of life. The way the moon shined through her bedroom window late at night, the chirping of a certain type of bird that she had grown quite fond of. It was still odd for her, but she felt as if she was at least gaining a grasp on these types of feelings.

"Thank you, my king. You honor me." Beruka stayed on her knee, making sure to show King Garon the utmost respect. She kept her eyes to the ground, staring at the polished stone below her. Despite her lack of visual awareness, she knew that others had entered the room while she was kneeling. They had yet to make their presence known in any other way.

"I have already informed Camilla of this task. However, you require…a separate briefing. There is something I must tell you, that I did not tell her." Beruka stiffened up at that. What could she need to know that her lady could not? "First, however, the fundamentals of the situation. You are to head to Izumo and waste no time doing so. Zola is already there, and has confirmed his work in supplanting their leader is a success. Your task is to help eliminate any dissidents in the palace who may be catching onto his schemes. I have also learned that the Hoshidan Prince, Takumi, will be headed there as well. Your second mission is to capture him and bring him back to Windmire, unharmed." The mission seemed cut and dry so far. She was curious as to how he knew this information. As far as she was aware, the prince had been missing for a few weeks' time now.

"However, you, Beruka, carry a second task. Stand up." His words echoed more than usual. Hesitantly, Beruka did as he said. The first thing she noticed was that the axe he always held was no longer in his hands. "You have two more missions. The first is to ensure that my gift to Camilla stays safe. Bölverk, my axe, carries a mighty power within it, one that cannot be lost. I have entrusted her with it to ensure that the capture of Prince Takumi goes smoothly. If this weapon is lost, you will suffer. Do I make myself clear?" Beruka nodded her head. And then looked at the other important change in the room; the two new faces standing near one of the side walls.

"Your second mission is much more simple; reconnaissance. These two will be searching for Princess Corrin. If you learn anything about her whereabouts, whether that be by chance or from her brother, you are to send it to the nearest Nohrian outpost and encode it. Address it to them, and it will find its way to them."

"I understand, my king." Then, Beruka took a risk. "If you do not mind me asking, my king, who are they?" She regretted asking almost the moment she finished. She had no right to know; it wasn't important to the mission.

"They are two who know Princess Corrin better than she knows herself." His gaze shifted over to them. The first was a girl that looked to be about Beruka's age. She had long, dark hair, and garb that was distinctly Hoshidan; a confusing sight. She bit her fingernail anxiously, her dark eyes with even darker bags underneath looking at Beruka with a gaze that made even her shudder.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance." The girl said in a tone that indicated it was a clear lie. "My name is Rhajat." Her accent confirmed Beruka's suspicions; the girl was most definitely Hoshidan. She knew that King Garon was not opposed to turning prisoners and criminals into soldiers, but this didn't apply to Hoshidans. Just who was this girl?

The second person was an older man, scruffy-looking. Everything about him told her that he was a thief; his posture, his clothes, the way he was constantly looking around as if he was being watched by someone. He seemed far more lax, with his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall, yet at the same time, he had a troubled look. He didn't even glance at Beruka as he spoke. "Name's Shura. I look forward to you making my job easier."

"You are dismissed." King Garon spoke. Beruka wasted no time, turning and leaving the throne room to go find Lady Camilla. She didn't like the orders she had been given, not one bit. She didn't like keeping secrets from Lady Camilla, and she didn't like having to work with those shady characters. However, it was her mission, and she knew she had to follow it. It was almost amusing to her, in a way; she never thought she'd not want to take a mission.


	25. Paralogue One: Secrets in Cheve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here's something a little different. There's a lot of territory I wanna cover in this story, but some of it is a little too detached from the main plot to smoothly incorporate. So here's my copout; paralogues! I've got no idea how many I'll make or how often I'll do them, but they'll be a great way for me to still develop plotlines and characters that aren't currently integral to the story. So without further ado, here's paralogue one!

Ryoma

It didn't matter how much time went by in Cheve; Ryoma still couldn't get used to fighting without Raijinto. He missed the grip of the blade, missed the gentle hum of stored electricity that coursed through his veins. He missed how it always swung exactly where and how he wanted as if it knew his thoughts and desires perfectly. Of course, he was aware that Raijinto had a consciousness of some kind; it was a trait all of them shared. However, he never was sure of just how strong that consciousness truly was.

He gripped the spear tighter, adjusting the helmet covering his face. Showing his identity in the rebel headquarters was one thing, but out in the streets, it was a death sentence, and not just for him; if the Nohrian royals were to learn of his presence in Cheve, it would most certainly become a primary target for suppression.

The night air, especially biting on the rooftop, kept his armor far too cold for comfort, though it didn't seem to bother Scarlet much. Quite the contrary in fact; she seemed to revel in it, occasionally just closing her eyes and letting it overwhelm her for a few seconds, before returning her attention to the task at hand. He must have been looking at her one too many times, because eventually she whispered, "Hey, one of us has to keep an eye on the street." A grin accompanied her words, as if to acknowledge the selfishness of her request. He didn't mind much, turning his focus back to the cobbled street below, where a squad of Nohrian troops was to pass through, on their way to the frontlines of the war. Taking them down would be a minor victory, but it was meant more to raise morale amongst the rebels, rather than make any sizeable difference.

There was another stretch of time spent in silence. The squad was later than predicted. Scarlet took advantage of this to spend some more time talking. "Here's what I don't get: you found Corrin, just like you came here to do. Your ninjas headed back to Hoshido, but you and those two maids stayed. Why?" It was a question that Ryoma had tried to avoid answering for a while, but it was also one that Scarlet was insistent on asking whenever she had the opportunity. It seemed the squad wasn't going to arrive fast enough to save him from giving her an answer.

"The rebellion still needed assistance, so I chose to stay. Flora and Felicia know Nohrian culture better than I do; they've been invaluable during my time here." Deciding to use the maids to change the subject, he remarked on their proficiency. "Those two really have pulled their weight and then some. Even when their loyalty had been proven, they insisted on continuing to work to the best of their ability. They really are something."

"They're something alright, I'll give you that." Scarlet concurred, looking down at the street. "Still, you've noticed Flora, right? How weird she's been acting?" Ryoma nodded. It was true, the girl had been having a harder time performing some of the manual labor as of late. She was tiring more quickly, and seemed more easily distracted. He made a mental note to talk to her about it, see if she was eating enough, or if she needed to spend some time planning strategies and logistics rather than performing reconnaissance and engaging in combat. Still, he had a feeling it wouldn't go well, especially if Felicia was still fighting; she tried to hide it, but he knew Flora was sensitive towards the subject of not being able to hold the same standard as Felicia when it came to combat.

Speaking of the devil, Ryoma spotted Flora, wearing a cloak to better conceal her identity, walking down the street; the signal that the enemy squad was near. "That's her. Come on." Scarlet spoke, getting up and heading for the trapdoor on the roof. Ryoma got up as well, going in after her, finding himself back in the attic of the citizen who had so generously allowed them to use her house as a recon point. Hurrying down the stairs, worry began to flood his mind. Were the archers in their correct positions? Had everyone else spotted Flora, and readied themselves? Too much could go wrong, and though there were precautions in the plan for many of these outcomes, he still couldn't help but grow anxious.

Opening the front door of the house, he almost ran right into Flora, who was out of breath and panicked. "T-they saw me, they're coming this way, fast! I think they know who I am!" Ryoma cursed under his breath, pushing past her with Scarlet close behind, entering the street. From down here, the tall, stone buildings cast long shadows, jagged and deafeningly dark. If it weren't for the gaps that allowed moonlight to flood in, he wouldn't have seen the Nohrian soldiers a few blocks away, walking right towards them.

Scarlet must have noticed his nervousness, because she turned to him and tried to reassure him. "Things are just happening a bit faster than usual. We still have the upper hand. Stay focused." He took her advice to heart, taking in a deep breath, gripping his spear tightly once again. They were closer now, at least a dozen of them. Just like the report said, there were no mages within their ranks; instead, they were mostly swordsmen, along with two cavaliers in the front. They had spotted Ryoma and Scarlet now, and seemed to be talking amongst themselves, likely deciding how to react.  _Just a little more…_  Ryoma thought to himself. They were almost to the correct spot.  _Just a few more feet…_

From the alleyway that the soldiers passed by, Felicia let loose a blast of ice magic, surging across the ground and freezing their feet in place. At the same time, archers positioned at the windows of various buildings made their presences known, firing upon the squad. By the time they even had their feet free, the horses had been spooked and ran, flinging their riders off, and half their rank had been taken down. Ryoma and Scarlet charged with Flora behind them, the girl flinging a dagger which embedded itself into a swordsman's shoulder, sending him down to the ground.

Scarlet ducked under a swipe from a swordsman, using the momentum of her movements to swing her axe up with her body, crashing into his breastplate, accompanied by the sound of breaking ribs. As another soldier ran at her flank, she let gravity to the rest of the work for her, swinging back down and right into his helmet, cracking it and the man's skull in the process. Ryoma targeted the less armored cavaliers, who now were forced to fight without their steeds. Now free of the ice, they charged at him, spears raised. Knowing they were one of the few weapons that posed a substantial threat to his heavy armor, being able to thrust up into the cracks separating the various plates, he decided to borrow a tactic he had seen Hinoka use, attacking horizontally, rather than thrusting as normal.

It made sense why Hinoka would use that strategy; a naginata had a curved blade, much better suited for more freedom in attacks. A spear, however, did not. The attack was awkward, and bounced harmlessly off the soldiers' armor, only forcing them to back up a few seconds before resuming their charge. He cursed under his breath before charging right at them, a daring tactic which could have easily resulted in him impaling himself on their spears. Thankfully, it worked to surprise them, and he rammed right into one of them, sending him flying. He quickly turned and grabbed the other one by the shoulders, slamming his armored head right against the man's uncovered skull. It made his head rattle, though he could only imagine just how bad the other guy was feeling it, as he was on his back before he could look.

Then, Ryoma turned his head and felt horror settle in his gut. There, on the ground, was Flora, the swordsman she had attacked now on top of her and holding onto the dagger that she had thrown at his shoulder. He plunged down, aiming at her stomach, but to Ryoma's surprise, she grabbed the blade with her hands, screaming in pain as she clenched them tightly, pushing back against him. Another dagger flew at him, this time hitting him in the throat, allowing Flora to push the now dead Nohrian soldier off her. From Ryoma's distance, he had no idea how bad the wounds were, but they were bad enough for Felicia, now grabbing her sister, to let out a sob of fear as she dragged her into a nearby alleyway and out of the fighting.

Nearby, Scarlet was finishing off one of the last standing soldiers, throwing her axe right at him, hitting him perfectly in the shoulder. By the time she walked over to yank the axe out, the battle was over. Any soldier that hadn't been defeated by the two of them had been picked off by the archers. Seeing that it was now safe, Ryoma quickly ran to the alley that the two sisters were in. Flora was laying on her sister's knelt legs, her hands out and trembling as Felicia used a staff to try and heal them as quickly as possible.

What worried Ryoma wasn't the wounds; it was how calm Flora seemed to be about it all. Even as Felicia rambled and ranted about how scared she was, Flora just kept saying, "I'm alright. He didn't get me. I'm okay. We're okay." The monotone calm she spoke with did nothing to dissuade Ryoma's suspicions about her behavior. Talking to her about it, however, would have to come later.

Of course, when later came, something else came up with it. One of the rebel soldiers had informed Ryoma that Scarlet wished to speak with him. He headed to her quarters, no longer in his heavy armor, instead wearing a simple shirt and pants, which oddly felt less comfortable to him. Once he arrived, he knocked on her door, and a few moments later, heard her voice inviting him in.

Once he had closed the door behind him, he turned to face Scarlet, who had a deathly serious look on her face as she sat behind her desk, paperwork piled up on top of it. "Is something wrong?" He asked while approaching her, only for her to stand up and walk around her desk, meeting him halfway. "I thought you'd be in a better mood, considering the victory."

"You need to get your retainers under control, Ryoma." Scarlet warned, her no-nonsense tone indicating that she wasn't in the mood to argue about it either. "Flora was supposed to stay back and provide ranged support, not charge into battle. She nearly got her fingers chopped off in the process." Ryoma opened his mouth, but she held a hand up, silencing him. "I know they're technically Corrin's retainers, but she's not here right now. You are, and you've been the one giving them orders. So give Flora the order to listen to my damn commands next time."

Ryoma was honestly taken aback by how angry she was. She never got this wound up, save for when she was talking about anyone who lived in Castle Krakenburg or her former supervisor during her days in the Nohrian Military. "If that's what you want Scarlet, I'll let her know. If I had known it was such a sore spot for you, I'd have done something sooner."

"It's not just that, Ryoma, and you know it!" Scarlet fired back, once again surprising the Hoshidan prince. Now he was more confused than anything, and hesitantly answered.

"Then, what is it about? Scarlet, you need to tell me these things if you want us to work together as well as we have—"

"Oh don't you dare pretend this is about our ability to work together." With that, she slammed her hand on her desk. "Why did you stay? Don't give me any excuses, or lies, or keep any secrets, because by the Gods above you are a terrible liar and I will  _know_  if you lie to me like you did before that battle." Ryoma was so caught by surprise by Scarlet's demand that it took him longer than he would have liked to answer her.

"Scarlet, I don't believe now's really the time to—"

"Answer me."

There was another long pause. Then, Ryoma sighed and spoke. "I…I wanted to make sure nothing happened." Scarlet crossed arms and gave her a look that told him that he'd need to go into a bit more detail than that. "Nohr was already gazing down here, sending more and more troops. It's only a matter of time until they send down a large enough number of troops to wipe out the rebellion, and likely Cheve, for good."

"Bullshit. Even you wouldn't be able to stop them if that were the case."

"That's why I don't plan on stopping them!" Ryoma took a step closer to her. "You and your troops need to come to Hoshido. You can help us fight from there, and you'll stop giving Nohr a reason to target Cheve. It kills two birds with one stone."

Scarlet let out an almost offended chuckle. "And what, abandon my home? My people!? Chevois Knights don't just run wherever the battle suits them best; they plant their feet in the ground and stay there! Doing anything else would be cowardice!"

"Not cowardice; survival. Scarlet, what do you think staying here will accomplish? King Garon will turn Cheve into nothing but another reminder to the nation's under Nohr's control to stay complacent. At least in Hoshido you can still fight without putting your people under so much risk—"

"Don't you  _dare_  tell me what's best for my people!" Scarlet took a deep breath, running her hand through her short hair. "There you go, changing the subject again. What's best for the rebellion is not what we were talking about. I still want to know just why you keep insisting on staying."

Ryoma almost asked her if she would prefer him to leave, but that was too petty a remark for him; perhaps Corrin's behavior had rubbed off on him more than he was willing to admit. "I wanted to protect you." He realized the answer wasn't clear enough, and so he elaborated. "I realized that I didn't want to see something happen to you. I didn't want you to die out here while I sat in a war tent far away from the conflict, getting the news in some report I'd be forced to shove aside."

Another chuckle escaped Scarlet's lips. "If I didn't know any better, that sounded like you actually cared for a second there."

"I  _do_  care about you, Scarlet." It was only after Ryoma said that that he realized he had taken her hands in his own. The two of them both found themselves unable to find the right words to say. So, at the same time, they both reached the conclusion that there was something better they could do than speak.

The kiss was brief, lamentably so, but it did its job. As Ryoma and Scarlet, both stepped back, each of them understood exactly what the other one felt. She was the first one to speak. "This isn't a good idea. You're at war with Nohr. Falling in love with a Nohrian is—"

"Is exactly what I want." Ryoma said, looking at her with a focused gaze. "Petty politics won't change my mind." Though he put on a calm demeanor, his mind was racing, questioning if he was supposed to do anything else.

Scarlet let out a long sigh, rubbing her temples. "Just…go talk to Flora. Make sure she understands not to be so reckless." Ryoma knew it would be best to leave her alone, so he did, turning and walking out of the room. Just as he was opening the door, Scarlet spoke again. "And Ryoma? I'll think about it."

"Think about what?" He asked, turning to face her. Instead of answering whether she was talking about the plan to go to Hoshido, what had just happened between the two of them, or maybe even both, she just flashed a grin. It only reminded him just how much he had fallen for her.

A few days later, once he had gotten word from Felicia that Flora was out of her care, he summoned the girl to his quarters, sitting down at a desk of his own. The girl stepped inside, her hands still bandaged up from the tips of her fingers all the way down to her wrists. It was a sight that would make most people wince from looking at it. He told her to take a seat, and she did, silent as a mouse. "Scarlet tells me that you've been disobeying orders lately. I'd like to know why."

Flora didn't answer, her eyes glued to her lap, looking more conflicted than he'd ever seen them, even when she and her sister were spilling all of the information that they knew about Nohr in order to gain sanctuary in Hoshido. "It's not just that, either. You've been more irritable. I've heard stories from some of the rebels about you screaming in anger when someone drops supplies around you. They say you haven't been eating as much some days, and others you've been asking Felicia to share some of her portions with you. If the stress is getting to you, I understand, but you need to speak up, so I know you're—"

"Pregnant."

There was a moment of silence.

Followed by a moment longer.

And for a few more moments, silence still reigned. Then, Ryoma spoke. "…Pregnant." It was more to verify that he had heard her correctly. She nodded in confirmation. "You're…pregnant." That explained…well, just about everything. The mood swings, the eating, everything. "How long?" Was all he could ask.

"It happened on the night of the gala, back in Hoshido. A butler I used to work with, named Jakob. He now serves as a retainer to Prince Leo. It won't be long before my pregnancy will be visible to anyone from a glance. I've been able to hide it so far, but…" She still refused to look up at Ryoma, and he couldn't exactly blame her.

"That's…a lot to take in. When were you planning on telling anyone?" All Ryoma got in response was a look of guilt. "Did you think you'd be able to hide it forever? That nobody would find out?" More silence. "Does Felicia know?"

"No." Flora answered, her voice already having grown hoarse. "The only other person who knows is a cleric I checked with a month ago. That's when I found out." Ryoma slumped in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing. He recalled the battle, where Flora was ready to sacrifice her own hands to stop the soldier from plunging that dagger into her stomach, and it suddenly made so much more sense.

Ryoma sighed once again. "You are to cease all combat missions, effective immediately. You will instead focus on the upkeep of headquarters, as well as tactics and mission planning. Do you understand?" He could see the hurt in her eyes as she nodded, but he refused to put her and her child in any danger, no matter how much it hurt her. "You will inform Scarlet and any other members of the resistance that she believes need to know this information currently." Flora nodded once again. "Before that happens, however…" He sat up in his chair. "You are to tell Felicia. Do you understand?" Flora hesitated, and then nodded. "Good. You're dismissed."

Flora stood up and left the room, wasting no time. He couldn't exactly blame her, considering what he had said, but he didn't regret it. A few minutes later, he could hear Felicia shouting in surprise, despite knowing her and Flora's quarters were situated near the opposite side of the headquarters. He chuckled, both at the girl's reaction and because he had to admit that he never expected this role would be so hard. In some ways, it was harder than being a prince, even.


	26. Good Reasons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the late upload.

Nina

Corrin, upon learning of their arrival, had taken Nina and Forrest to the most secluded room in the emptiest hut in the Flame Tribe that she could find and sat them both down next to eachother, before leaning against a wall, arms crossed. "I'm glad to see you two are back." She raised an eyebrow. "Where's Ophelia?"

Forrest looked down at the ground, his hands gently shaking. "Dead." Was all he could stammer out. Still, he was able to say more than Nina, who looked straight at Corrin, trying to figure out what was going on. She knew something, that was for sure.

 **"She knows. She has to."**  Vara spoke in her head.  **"Why else would she drag us here? She knows we're from the future."**  Nina reminded her that she and Forrest were from the future; Vara was a voice in her head that came from a magic bow.  **"Rude. Regardless, you know I'm right."**

Corrin's face softened for a moment. "I'm…sorry." She then seemed to readjust herself, her expression returning to one of barely-contained fury. "I caught up with Takumi, back at the Bottomless Canyon, and he told me the strangest story. He said that he was traveling with three others, and that – get this – they were from the future. Imagine that." Her words suggested humor, but she wasn't laughing.

 **"Told you."** Nina tried not to sigh in frustration as she asked Vara what they should do.  **"Just let me do the talking."**  A swift no came in response, which seemed to agitate her.  **"Fine then, you do the talking, and let me tell you what to say. How's that sound?"**  Nina responded with a hesitant agreement.  **"Great. Alright, here's what you say first…"**

"Rather cruel of you to question us about this when we just lost a friend." Nina finally spoke out loud. Forrest's head snapped up and turned towards her, surprised to hear her speak. His surprise, however, was nothing compared to Corrin's. The girl's anger at this point was clear to see and ready to burst out at any second.

"Rinkah got her arm chopped clean off. Niles, Azura, Mozu, and Nyx are still missing. Don't you  _dare_  try to even  _insinuate_  that you're the only ones who're going through tough times." The rage finally began to leak out through Corrin's words, and it was intimidating for everyone else in the room. "Tell me everything you know, now."

 **"You know…"**  Even Vara sounded scared out of her wits.  **"I was gonna suggest telling her some half-truths to keep her satisfied, but I'm not sure I wanna see her bad side."** For once, she and Nina were in perfect agreement. And so, Nina and Forrest told her everything; why they came from the future, Nina's knowledge of Azura and the others having been captured by Leo, and who Kana was. That last part sparked a brief visible moment of shock, but Corrin quickly hid whatever else she was feeling.

"So you're telling me that you're actually from the future and that the ninja who keeps popping up is my kid." Corrin got a nod in response. "That's…jeez…" Nina couldn't get a good look at her face, as her arm was covering it while she kept running her hand through her hair. "You know, right now I'm just trying to figure out what could possibly make you two think you had the right to keep this stuff secret."

"We had to!" Forrest insisted, standing up from his seat. "You would've never trusted us if we had told you the truth, you would've thought we were insane!"

"Well that's my problem, isn't it!?" Corrin snapped back, intimidation making the boy sit back down. "My mistake was trusting you two, because now I have to wonder what else you lied to me about. How about the Bottomless Canyon? Did you know what was going to happen there?"

"No! No, we had no idea!" Forrest exclaimed, more desperate than Nina at this point to make Corrin understand. "Do you think we would've gone there if we knew what was going to happen? Ophelia—" He choked on his next word, and Nina realized that he must have been holding back tears for a while. "She's gone now, because we weren't careful enough. And we didn't even get what we went there for."

**"Wish I could say I knew more about where Yato is. I haven't seen it in so long that I don't even think you have a number that fits the number of years. What interests me is how you were supposed to find the next clue down there."**

Corrin seemed to believe Forrest's explanation, though cautiously at best. "Fine. One more thing. Who are you, really?" She pushed herself against the wall, moving to stand up straight. "I get the feeling that Kana isn't the only one from the future that's the kid of someone I know about."

"You'd be right." Gulping nervously, Nina slowly spoke the truth. "My dad is Niles." That surprisingly didn't seem to even phase Corrin, something which made Vara chuckle.  **"Guess the father-daughter resemblance is deeper than you think."**  That hurt more than she thought it would. She looked to Forrest, who gave her a nod of approval. "Forrest's father is Prince Leo."

It took a few moments for Corrin to respond, and when she did, it was in the form of laughter. "Man, isn't that rich? A big shot prince, working with thieves; that kind of comedy writes itself!" Her laugh began to fade as her deathly serious demeanor returned. "I'm already thinking of a great joke about two liars who think I'll trust them now that I know one of them is Nohrian royalty."

"You have to trust us!" Forrest stood up once more, not flinching at Corrin's immediate visible hostility. "Listen, I know that we lied, but we had our reasons! You're a thief; you should understand better than anyone that sometimes you have to do bad things for good reasons! Look, we didn't find the Yato, but we did find something else!" Suddenly, his eyes were on Nina. "Show her."

 **"Remember, telling them about me is a bad idea. Just tell her the same thing you told Forrest."**  Acknowledging this advice once more, Nina summoned Skadi, the bow igniting into life in her hand, making Corrin reach for her knife. After Nina cleared up the situation, the princess calmed down, but still seemed untrusting. Still, she eventually decided that she'd give it some thought, before leaving them to their own devices.

Next to Nina, Forrest let out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad she isn't totally against the idea of trusting us. I don't know what we'd even do if she left us to do this on our own…" Nina began to wonder where the Yato even was. The trail had gone cold, as far as she could tell, and that suddenly made her feel a tinge of despair that she knew was only going to grow.

"Yeah, well I get the feeling she isn't gonna even consider helping us until we've found all the others." The reminder inspired mixed feelings in the both of them. It wasn't like they didn't want to rescue the others; Nina had no issue thinking of them as friends, but finding Yato was still a priority. She just wished she could get Corrin to understand this.

Rinkah

Her father's name was Loken. Cyrkensian in origin; Rinkah's grandmother named him after a musician she once saw in one of its opera houses. As the story went, she was a legendary warrior before falling in love with and marrying Rinkah's grandfather, and because of this, she had been hardened by years of battle. The musician's skill with his cello was the first thing aside from her husband to bring tears to her eyes. She honored this by naming her son after him.

It was a fascinating story, though puzzling, considering her father was the one that chose the Flame Tribe's path of heightened isolationism. When she mentioned this, he let out a chuckle. "Yes, I can see why that would seem strange. It was a long time coming, to be fully honest. As tensions between Hoshido and Nohr continued to escalate, the pressure to choose a side kept increasing. The longer we insisted on neutrality, the more we were left to our own devices by most other nations. When the Ice Tribe attacked and took you, nobody offered any help. Even other independent nations didn't want to risk making it seem like there was a potential collaboration; the last thing either major power would like is a conglomeration of independent nations joining together. We knew then that we were wasting our time and resources on diplomacy, so we kept it to a minimum. That mission I came back from was a rare occurrence."

"I see." Was all she said as she stared off at the fields of crops in front of her. Her father had brought her here, saying it was good for her to see how the tribe operated on a daily basis. She didn't understand why, but she went nonetheless, having nothing better to do. Every time she tried to go to Corrin, she would tell her to spend more time with her family.

"The harvest is looking to be especially good this season. That's what's so great about living in this climate; it's never a bad time to grow crops. We never have the cold seasons most other nations do, and the volcanic rock is especially fertile. If not for the Holy Mountain, we'd never be able to remain independent." He looked out at the fields as well, before turning to face Rinkah. "I prayed for so long to see you come back to us. I never lost hope that you were out there, somewhere. Your return truly is a miracle from the Flame God."

Hearing that reverence to the Flame God made her feel uncomfortable. She never questioned if there were gods out there; she just lived her life how she saw fit. Still, it bothered her, hearing everyone call her appearance a miracle, claiming it was a blessing from the Flame God. "If it's a miracle, why did I have to lose my arm for it to happen?" Her father was silent for a short while, and she began to worry that she had upset him. That thought alone confused her; since when had she worried about upsetting people?

Finally, he spoke, seeming to have collected his thoughts. "Corrin told me what happened to you; that some crazed killer attacked you and cleaved your arm clean off. From the way she described her, she sounded dangerous. I'd say it's a miracle you only lost your arm. In a way, the Flame God was still protecting you, even then." Hearing that, Rinkah wasn't sure what to think anymore. In a way, what he was saying made sense. She took a deep breath, trying to figure out what she was supposed to think or feel here. Hearing this, he spoke again. "My apologies. I understand that sort of mentality is off-putting to some."

"No." Rinkah hastily responded, not wanting her father to get the wrong idea about what she was feeling in that moment. "I actually…think it's nice. The idea that someone is watching out for me…" A gentle breeze tickled her face, sending her hair swaying back and forth. Her father didn't interrupt the moment, instead joining in it, watching wind wave across the fields.

"I hope you'll join us in the festival tonight. It wouldn't be the same without you." Rinkah knew that he was just talking about the festival, but she couldn't help but think about the Flame Tribe as a whole. The idea of going with Corrin, leaving her parents behind…why was it so hard to accept? "I should get back to my duties. It would be a shame if I had to miss the festival due to work. I'll leave you to spend the rest of the day however you see fit." He moved his hand, as if to reach out to her, but seemed to change his mind, bringing it back before walking away. Was he afraid to get too close; afraid that she would leave him again? More importantly, why was she feeling that same fear inside of her?

Leo

There were many things that one could expect on their way through Nohr. Bandits were a given, though their rate of occurrence depended on what areas one traveled through. Cold was another constant, due to the lack of common sunlight. For Leo, one or two assassination attempts were always to be expected, nowadays usually due to Hoshidan ninjas. He had become used to these things; desensitized, even.

Surprise visits from Camilla were most certainly not to be expected, and Leo always hated surprises. "Hello, brother dearest." She greeted, smiling the same, honest way she always would whenever she was talking to family. Even then, the only members of her family she ever gave that smile to were her siblings; all others, father included, were subject to much less sincere kindness. Still, only her siblings knew the difference. It was a subtle widening of the eyes, a gentle pursing of the lips, a hint of flush to her cheeks. Though, he paid that less mind this time, instead focusing on what was gripped tightly in her hand.

"Hello, Camilla. I see father has given you his axe." He found himself drawn to Bölverk's cragged edges, recalling that Odin had mentioned that one of the four unknown Divine Weapons was an axe. Father had already obtained Ganglari, so it was reasonable to assume he already knew of the weapon's true nature. If that were so, then it would make sense for Bölverk to be a Divine Weapon as well. What he could not figure out was why father would even hide something like this in the first place.

"Yes, he did indeed." She latched it to her back, looking effortless as she did it, though Leo knew that she rarely ever put no effort into anything, especially when it came to keeping father happy. She had likely practiced that simple movement repeatedly. "Apologies for the open carrying. I've heard reports of more bandits in this area than usual, and I'd hate to be caught off guard."

Finding that funny, Leo chuckled before saying, "You'd never be caught off guard. You have Beruka." As if summoned by the mention of her name, the blue-haired retainer seemed to materialize out of nothing, though he knew she had been likely just hiding somewhere close by. "Selena as well. I assume you'd like her back?" Camilla nodded, and so Leo grabbed the attention of a nearby soldier and requested he bring Selena to them.

When Selena arrived, she tried to appear as if she was normal, but Beruka's sharp gaze caught her act. "Too much weight on one side. Your eyes keep narrowing, as if you're in pain. You aren't wearing your favorite pauldron." She turned to look at Leo. "Was she injured?" Seeing no other good option, he nodded. Not even a second after, Camilla let out a gasp and rushed to her retainer, setting her hands on her face as she looked her over head to toe.

"Oh, my darling Selena! Where are you hurt? What happened to you? Who did this? Tell me who did this, so I can crush them into pulp." And so the doting continued, the redheaded retainer clearly none too pleased about it, shooting Beruka a scowl.

"L-Lady Camilla, it's fine, really!" Selena insisted, wincing in pain as Camilla touched her shoulder. "It was that stupid Hoshidan prince, Takumi. He shot me with one of his fancy arrows, broke my pauldron with the shot. It's mostly healed up, but it's gonna leave a hell of a scar. Hurts like hell too…"

Camilla frowned, stepping back. "Well, I suppose you'll be pleased to hear that part of our mission is finding him and capturing him. Perhaps you'll be able to get some due justice in the process; vengeance, even." That seemed to cheer Selena up, and after making sure she was truly fine, Camilla sent her off with Beruka so that she could be filled in on the specifics of their mission. "Aren't those two just the most adorable retainers in the world?" She asked, beaming with pride that Leo couldn't exactly understand. Then again, much of Camilla's extreme emotions were a mystery to him, seeing as he was always one to prioritize knowledge and logic over emotion and passion.

"I suppose so." He answered, placating her. "I assume you won't be staying long before setting back off on your mission?" He received a nod of confirmation in response. "In that case, there are some things I should show you…"

Leo first led his sister to the cage where Peri was kept, and to his surprise, she didn't seem very shocked by the appearance of Xander's former retainer, assumed dead, now trapped inside of Brynhildr's branches, some of them stabbing into her. She was, however, confused, and so he explained what had happened, and why this form of restraint was necessary.

In front of the cage, Siegbert was watching, unaware of the two behind him, too focused to notice. "Siegbert." Leo spoke, alerting the retainer to his and Camilla's presence. "Has she shown any irregularities? Any signs that her bonds are lessening in power?" He still wasn't entirely sure if he could trust Siegbert, but he knew that he wasn't going to lie about the danger Peri posed.

"No, no signs. She's been struggling, of course. As far as I can tell, she doesn't sleep." Sounding almost disappointed by this, Siegbert looked back at the cage. "Occasionally she's tried to say something, but your makeshift gag has stopped her. It seems it's quite draining for her as well; her struggling always weakens considerably for a while after she speaks."

"I see." Leo could see it in his eyes; he was tired at least and more likely in a state of exhaustion. "Get some rest. I can't have any of my men on the verge of passing out." He didn't like how insistent Siegbert had been on being the one to keep an eye on Peri, though the retainer had taken a few hours to rest on occasion.

"Thank you, Prince Leo. However, I am fine. I'll continue monitoring Peri, and I'll let you know if there are any changes in her behavior." Siegbert's tone told Leo that he wasn't going to be able to convince him, and so he left, leading Camilla over to the second person of interest. There, in the back of one of the wagons, with two guards waiting outside, was Azura, her gaze pointed towards the ground.

Camilla needed no introduction, recognizing the girl immediately. "Azura? Is that…really you?" Hearing Camilla's voice made the blue-haired princess's head snap up, turning to look at her. "Gods, it's been so long…we knew you were in Hoshido, but we didn't know if you were alright."

As Camilla began to speak at length to her sister, Leo began to wonder if bringing Azura back to Krakenburg really was the best course of action. Of course, he didn't have much of a choice now; he knew that if he tried to keep it a secret, at least a few of his men would get the idea to tell his father for the chance of a promotion. Still, Azura's points were more valid that he cared to admit when she had first said them to him. Then there was the whole problem of her relative unpopularity amongst Nohr's nobility.

It was funny, in a way. Azura was the second – and last – child of King Garon to be a legitimate heir to the Nohrian throne, the first being Xander. Leo, Camilla, Elise, and so many others were essentially bastard children. The only reason why the three of them were so respected was due to years and years of political ploys, since Leo and Camilla were younger than Elise, to gain the favor of the Nohrian Court. Even then, without the bonds they had forged with Xander, they would have never been able to keep that respect. There were many other siblings who fell to the wayside; cast out, left to desperately cling to lower positions, or being murdered along with their mothers by others, all vying for father's attention. It was a problem that Garon had stopped contributing to the moment it began, but by then it was far too late. Leo still blamed him for being foolish enough to believe all of his womanizing wouldn't lead to that outcome.

Yet, though she was no bastard, Azura was despised in particular. Xander's mother was beloved by all, so when she fell to sickness and father remarried, the new queen was seen as inferior in every way. Her child was naturally destined to be loathed by all. Yet, Garon loved his wife and new daughter all the same, until Azura's mother, too, was taken by disease, with Azura's kidnapping following shortly after. Ever since, he became even more distant, especially towards his kin, likely to avoid falling to the grief of another potential tragedy.

How would father react to seeing Azura after so long? Would he apologize for favoring politics over the rescue of his daughter? Would he treat her like nothing had occurred, like she was never stolen away? Or, more likely in Leo's mind, would he dismiss her as he had the rest of his children, only interacting with them when necessary? It was at this point that Leo realized his dour mood was bound to bring down the surprisingly cheerful conversation Camilla and Azura were having, and so he excused himself so that he could check on the prisoners, leaving them in peace.

When he arrived at the cart in the back of the lineup, Leo first noticed the unconscious soldier, face-down in the dirt and mud. The second thing he noticed was that there were only two prisoners now; the man with the eyepatch and the young dark mage. The Hoshidan girl was gone, untied bindings now the only sign she was even there. Grabbing the gag of the man and yanking it out of his mouth, Leo shouted, "Where is she!?"

The man grinned, before speaking back, "Long gone by now, I'd assume. Funny; you struck me as the type of man who'd have the experience in tying pretty girls up to make sure something like this wouldn't happen. Unless that is, you prefer being tied up yourself?"

Leo growled at the arrogant man's blatant innuendo, shoving the gag back into his mouth before kicking the incompetent soldier, waking him up. "Alert the rest of the soldiers; we have an escapee!"


	27. Hope

Hinoka

If there was one thing that she would never get tired of, it was the forest breeze. The way the winds above the treeline danced around her, in between her strands of hair and against the fabric of her clothes made her feel as if she had reached the heavens themselves. She'd be lying if she said it also didn't make her feel good to always be faster than everyone else thanks to her Pegasus. While she was hesitant at first to leave Kiragi, the others managed to convince her to take the role as the group's scout, making sure there were no obvious threats ahead. This also meant that if she ran into a village, it was her responsibility to make preparations for a place to stay. Asugi has loaned her a cloak that helped mask her identity, but she still always felt like eyes were on her whenever she talked with villagers. She'd need to come up with a better disguise, even if only to calm her anxiety.

Once preparations with the local inn were finished, she headed back, once again feeling the wind against her. As she neared the group's camp, she noticed her Pegasus had begun to grow tired, the flapping of her wings now considerably slower. "Hey, Marie…" She cooed to her steed, running her hand against her fur. "Just a few more minutes, then you can rest. Sorry, I know I've been working you to the bone. Tonight you'll get a good night's sleep in the village stables. That sound nice?" The Pegasus made no response, but Hinoka had a feeling she had heard her. She and Marie had a close bond; ever since she had saved the poor thing from a Nohrian war camp, she had been Hinoka's most skilled and trusted Pegasus.

By the time she landed in the clearing that the campsite had been set up in, Takumi and Kiragi were already right next to her, having seen her during her descent. Takumi was relieved to hear they had actual rooms they could sleep in, while Kiragi seemed downtrodden at the prospect. Hinoka knew that the boy wasn't one for socializing, though she hoped that his willingness to talk with Midori and the others from the future meant that he wasn't completely opposed to the idea. Still, he and Takumi had barely talked at all, and when they did, it was always in awkward, unfinished conversations that never escalated beyond small talk. She supposed it was just best to be glad that Kiragi was so friendly with her.

She found Midori in one of the tents, organizing some of their supplies and keeping track of how much they had. It was a sad sight to her, seeing the young girl so intent on carrying so much of the group's responsibilities. She couldn't have been older than fourteen at the absolute most, yet from what Hinoka had seen, she was pitching in just as much as the rest of them, if not more. "You know," She spoke, alerting Midori to her presence. "somebody else can take care of monitoring supplies. Takumi tells me you've got a talent for medicine; maybe you should prepare some, just in case?"

Midori shook her head, grabbing her backpack from the corner of the tent. "No need. I made some last night since I had a hard time falling asleep." That only added to Hinoka's worrying, now knowing that Midori didn't get much sleep. "Did you find us a place to stay?" She asked, getting a simple nod in response. "That's good. I'm sure Mitama will like having a real bed to sleep in. She's been whining day and night about how our sleeping bags are a crime against naps." The girl let out a chuckle that expressed more of her exhaustion than she intended, her eyes glancing away, as if out of shame.

Seeing Midori's response to letting even a bit of her tiredness show, Hinoka knew it was time to be blunt. "You're working yourself to the bone, Midori. Maybe it's time for you to take a break from all the responsibility you've been putting on yourself?" Midori opened her mouth to say something, but a conflicted look appeared in her eyes, and she went quiet. "You're still a kid, and you don't need to worry so much about all of these things yet. You may be one of the smartest kids I've ever met, but that doesn't change that you are still young." The girl still looked hesitant, so Hinoka offered up a soft smile to calm her nerves. "Just give it some thought, okay?" She lingered a few seconds longer, but when she saw that Midori had nothing else to say, she left the tent to give her some space.

By this point, Takumi and Asugi were busy planning out who was going to be carrying what on the way to the village, and Kiragi was nowhere to be found – probably out hunting again. The only person who wasn't currently occupied was Mitama, someone who she had been making somewhat of an effort to avoid, much to her internal shame. It was just hard for her, knowing who she was the daughter of.

She approached the girl, who was in the process of writing something underneath a tree, mumbling to herself every few seconds before continuing to write. Just like Midori, she was completely wrapped up in her own task, not even noticing another presence. Hinoka watched her for a few moments longer, taking note of how focus she was with her writing, how she'd occasionally brush a stray strand of hair away from her face. Then, she spoke. "What are you writing?"

Mitama jumped, her whole body shuddering as her head snapped up to look at Hinoka. "P-please don't scare me like that." She stammered out, her tense shoulders settling back down as her tight grip on her pen loosened. "It's really not polite at all." Clearing her throat, she looked at her notepad before facing Hinoka again. "I was writing some haikus, that's all. The scenery here is rather picturesque, so I wanted to capitalize on it."

"I see. Mind if I sit by you?" Truth be told, Hinoka felt a bit nervous about it, but she knew that she needed to bond with her niece. If she could do it with Kiragi, who was already a bizarre child, she could do it with Mitama. An equally hesitant nod gave her the permission she desired, and so she sat down under the shade of the tree. "I can see why you picked this spot. It's nice."

"Mhm." Was all Mitama said as she returned to writing. Hinoka wasn't one to pry obnoxiously into simple affairs, so she didn't bother leaning over her shoulder to see her haikus; instead, she merely sat there, soaking in the view, the breeze, the quiet, everything that the world around her presented. "Hinoka?" The question made her return from her quiet introspection, looking at Mitama. "What did Dwyer say to you? How did he convince you to come?"

She couldn't figure out why Mitama was asking. Was it suspicion, the idea that she had lied about her encounter, or was it genuine curiosity? Either way, she wasn't going to just not answer her. "Well, it was back at Shirasagi…"

" _We can deploy the southern forces here, provide extra support, but that could leave the area open to a surprise attack if they predict our movements." Mikoto poured over the large map set atop an even larger table. Miniatures were set up, illustrating troop positions as well as the locations of important areas, such as independent tribes and resource deposits. She and Yukimura had been hard at work analyzing the situation. Hinoka had only recently requested to watch the process for a little while._

_Hinoka hadn't seen her mother like this for most of her life. Ever since she was little, the magic barrier had been up and Mikoto had used most of her strength to maintain it. But now that it was down, done so as the declaration of war, it was like she was a whole new woman. She had always known her mother was a gifted diplomat, but her sense of tactics was on a whole different level. However, her mother still seemed just as strained, if not more so. Hinoka couldn't blame her. She had initially been against the decision to lower the barrier, but after seeing her mother's sharpened concentration, she realized they never would've been able to do any substantial damage to Nohr without her mind at its best._

_Maybe she just felt as powerless as she had. Watching Sakura bleed out, letting out agonized whimpers, knowing that she couldn't stop it…Hinoka hadn't felt that kind of helplessness since Corrin and father were attacked. And then for not just Corrin to leave, but Azura too…she understood why, but that didn't mean she agreed with it. It didn't help that they took a decent chunk of the Royal Treasury with them, too. Sure, most of its contents were more ceremonial, never intended to be sold or used, but it just felt like another dagger in her back._

_Ryoma was already out leading the troops, and Takumi was put in charge of defending the Hoshidan border. Hinoka had yet to be given a task, and so she had to just wait around, feeling useless. As she kept watching Mikoto and Yukimura strategize, she quickly came to realize that she had nothing to contribute. She wasn't a strategist, and she knew this all too well; combat was where she excelled. She excused herself, her mother barely even seeming to notice as she left the room._

_"If it makes you feel better, all of our actions are insignificant on the grand scale of the universe!" Her retainer Azama cheerily quipped, standing just outside of the door. Hinoka didn't question how long he had been waiting there. "After all, aren't we all just cosmic specks fighting over who gets to occupy some tiny remote corner of reality?"_

_"Put a sock in it, will you?" Hinoka insulted, though not with the intent to be cruel. She knew her retainer had an especially thick skin. Azama just gave a hearty laugh in response. "So, is there anything you need? Or are you just observing me because you're bored?" Both scenarios seemed equally likely._

_"Ah, yes. A young Nohrian man has recently materialized in one of the castle gardens. He's requested an audience with you, posthaste."_

Hinoka left out the more personal thoughts she had, but the rest was more or less her explanation of how things went. Mitama let out a giggle at the last part, a soft smile on her face. "That sounds like my father. He was always so odd. I suppose it's genetic, though."

"Yeah, he can be a real pain sometimes. He's dependable, though, even if he will whine about it the whole way through. I never would have thought he and Sakura would make a good couple." That name slipped out of her lips so effortlessly, it surprised even her. There was a stiff silence that filled the air, one that left Hinoka feeling a bit more alienated from her niece. "I'm sorry. I can't imagine how you must feel."

"No worse than you, I suppose." A heavy sigh accompanied Mitama's response. "We both suffered greatly from that tragedy. I'm certainly not one to be a braggart about whether or not I feel worse than someone else. Never mind that, however. The time to grieve isn't now." Despite saying that, she sounded like she was quite tempted to grieve right then and there. "Did Dwyer mention the Dragon's Gate?"

"Yes, he did." Hinoka remembered clearly him mentioning that. She thought it was strange, hearing him speak of it, considering she knew it as nothing more than a fairy tale. "The connection between worlds, allowing a being of one realm to step into another. If it does exist, it would make sense to use it to free him, since he seems to be stuck somewhere impossible."

"Well, that explains Dwyer quite neatly. He's certainly an impossible child." Mitama added. Upon seeing Hinoka's confused expression, she elaborated: "His parents lived on opposite sides of the continent. He's Nohrian through and through, yet he holds no love for his country. He's smarter than Midori and the rest of us combined, but he'd rather spend all day lazing around. And now, he's quite literally impossible; stuck between different times and different places."

"Well put. He sounds like a fascinating man. He certainly fascinated me when I spoke to him." It surprised Hinoka just how eloquent Mitama was. She wasn't the kind of person who spoke in long, complex sentences; rather, there was a grace to the way she spoke, likely due to her royal heritage. "Finding the Dragon's Gate will certainly be another example of the impossible being possible, then. Just imagine it…" She looked up at the sky, dotted with puffy white clouds. "Whole other worlds…"

Rinkah

The sacred flame at the center of town was beautiful, flickering and flowing as if it were enraptured in dance, swaying all around. The bonfire that had been lit for the festival was downright majestic, roaring and towering above everyone around it, sending a pillar of smoke into the air, as if signaling the festivities to the heavens themselves. Rinkah was awestruck by it, staring into the flames until her eyes began to water, forcing her to look away. When she did, she found herself facing a familiar girl. "Lila." She spoke, watching a nervous, fluttering smile form at the mention of her name.

"H-hello, Rinkah. I'm really glad you could make it to the festival." She held two wooden cups in her hands, holding one out to her. "Here. My father's special brew; if it doesn't m-make you feel refreshed, nothing will." Rinkah accepted the drink, sniffing it and finding the scent to be decent. She followed it up with a sip, one that made her eyes briefly widen at the strong flavor of it, one that tasted like a dozen different berries were mashed together. Her second sip allowed her to enjoy the flavor more, now that it was no longer a surprise. "How are you liking it so far?"

"It's…nice." In truth, Rinkah simply wasn't sure how to even describe it. Everywhere she looked, she saw people dancing and singing and laughing with one another, living like there was no tomorrow. Even with the moon obscured by clouds, there weren't many spots that weren't illuminated brilliantly by the roaring bonfire. Lila looked around as well, taking a rather generous sip of her own drink.

"I always love seeing the tribe like this. Everyone dancing and singing, celebrating and cheering…i-it makes me feel so happy." She looked down, running her finger up and down the outside of her cup. "Especially now that you're back…" Rinkah almost didn't notice the brief, gentle tremble of her hand. Her attention now focused on Lila, she realized the girl was trembling even more now. Noticing the pair of eyes on her, Lila looked at the bonfire. "You're leaving, aren't you? Nobody wants t-to talk about it. But that's what's happening, isn't it?"

Despite having talked far more than usual ever since she had arrived in the Flame Tribe, in that moment Rinkah had no idea what to say. She could hear the hurt in Lila's voice, the barely contained sorrow that she was so valiantly fighting to keep hidden. Not hearing a response, Lila kept talking. "You shouldn't go. Y-you just shouldn't. It's dangerous out there, with you only having one arm. You'll die for sure if you keep doing this. What will your parents think when that happens? What will we think? We just got you back, a-and now we're losing you again!" Her quiet voice was gone now, replaced with quivering terror. "You can't go, you c-can't…"

At that moment, Rinkah said the only thing that she thought would calm her down. She thought she would regret making that sort of promise, but much to her surprise, when the words left her lips, she felt a strange desire to keep it. Why was she feeling this way? Why did she already feel so fond of these people? Why did she want to stay?

Later on, after Lila had calmed down, Rinkah found herself wandering away from the bonfire, the festival, and soon, the tribe itself. Near its outskirts, she spotted a large crag of volcanic rock jutting out from a hill bordering the tribe's walls. Before she knew it, she found herself heading up the hill to go stand on it, and as she did, she realized that what she thought was a harsh spike of rock was actually much softer and more rounded than she initially imagined. It must have been there for an untold number of years, being weathered down by the elements over time. She was so distracted by this that she almost sent her foot right into an empty beer bottle. Quickly stepping around the bottle, she almost then stepped onto another one. She looked up from the ground and realized there were quite a few, all emptied. It was only then that she spotted a familiar silhouette sitting on the edge, chugging down another bottle of alcohol. "Corrin?"

The girl choked on a bit of her alcohol before setting it down, turning to face Rinkah. "Oh, hey." She mumbled, clearly already a bit drunk. "How's it going?" Rinkah didn't answer, instead motioning to the bottles. "Oh, yeah. I found the storage buildings and decided to help myself. Not too bad of a price to pay to the girl who brought back the chieftain's daughter."

"You shouldn't be doing that." Rinkah reprimanded, walking over and sitting down next to Corrin, who scoffed at hearing that.

"Since when were you the kind of person who objected to stealing? Jeez, and here I thought I was a bit too drunk…" That seemed to remind Corrin to take another swig of her bottle, setting it back down so hard that Rinkah was surprised it didn't even crack. "We're leaving tomorrow. You, me, Nina, Forrest, we're all heading out at dawn. We've wasted enough time here." Hearing that made Rinkah's heart sink down into her gut as she remembered what she had told Lila. Suddenly, she found herself remembering something from when she was little.

It had been back when she was first saved by Shura. About a month had passed, maybe two, and she had merely gone along with whatever he said, which mostly consisted of "eat" and "drink". Corrin had been pestering her nonstop, and Niles, when he did speak to her, only sounded concerned. She just couldn't understand why these three complete strangers were being so nice to her. Nobody had ever been that nice to her in her entire life.

One day, she broke down into tears, sobbing as Corrin held out an apple for her to eat. In-between choking gasps, she asked why they were so nice to someone they hardly even knew. Corrin's answer was a mere two words, but it left Rinkah startled. "Why not?" Those two words instilled a love for her, Niles and Shura that she had never felt before. Looking back now, she understood that that was what a family felt like.

Now, however, she had found her true family, and not just her mother and father; everybody in the Flame Tribe was being so kind to her. Lila's face brightened up every time she and Rinkah made eye contact. People would wave to her as she walked by, offering greetings and asking how she was doing. She wasn't sure how much of her feeling was due to her instincts telling her it was home and how much was due to her shock at her new situation, but the results were the same.

"I'm staying." Those two words left Corrin completely silent and completely still, clutching the beer bottle in her hand, motionless. There was a long pause, one that felt like an entire lifetime. Suddenly, Rinkah's thoughts were filled with doubt and uncertainty. She was no longer questioning her place in the world, she was saying what she wanted. She couldn't take that back. "I…I can't protect you anymore, not like this. There are people here who need me. I can't leave them."

Corrin breathed in once, then twice. Then, she finally spoke up. "Good." Hearing that was quite the surprise to Rinkah, but she knew she wasn't done talking just yet. "That's great, actually. Here I was thinking I'd have to put up with you even longer. I'm glad I didn't have to tell you I didn't want you around anymore. I mean, look at you! You've only got one arm; you're useless. The most you could contribute is being a pack mule, or maybe live bait for Faceless. At least here I don't have to worry about you dying on me. Let's not even talk about how much of a downer you've been since we got here!" Corrin's words were laced with spite and indifference, and they felt like daggers sent straight to Rinkah's chest. Still, there was something about them that felt off. "At least I—" Corrin's next insult, whatever it was, never was finished; instead, it was interrupted by a quick, heavy breath. Her body shook, and she made another, much softer noise. It was only after a few seconds of listening that Rinkah realized it was the sound of crying.

"Corrin?" She placed her hand on the girl's shoulder, feeling it quiver and tremble, heaving up and down as the crying began to grow more audible, to the point where it was now on full display for her to hear.

"I couldn't do it…" Corrin choked out. "I thought…I thought if I didn't give you a reason to want to come, then y-you wouldn't regret staying…" Hearing that made Rinkah catch her breath in her throat. The anger that Corrin had been displaying, the spite, the indifference, it had all been fake. "But I couldn't do it…I couldn't lie to you, I-I couldn't…" Suddenly, she erupted into tears, facing Rinkah and showing her tear-soaked face before wrapping her arms tightly around her, pulling her into an embrace. "I don't want you to go!" was all she could sob out before breaking down into an incoherent, drunken mess of tears.

"Oh, Corrin…" Rinkah's hand drifted up to the back of Corrin's head, gently running her hands through her hair. In that moment, she felt a smile form on its own, warmth spreading through her. "Thank you. For everything." She held Corrin, and Corrin held her, as one girl sobbed and the other comforted her until she had let all of her sorrow flow out.

When morning came, the skies were as overcast as they had been the night before. Corrin, Nina, and Forrest stood at the Flame Tribe's gates, equipment gathered up and gear ready. Rinkah stood next to her mother and father, watching the gates open, her friends' backs turned to her. Corrin took one step forward, then spun around and walked back to Rinkah, sliding her pack down and setting it on the ground. Then, she untied her green cloak and set it on Rinkah's back, tying it around her own neck. "Something to remember me by." She said with a caring smile before turning back around, slinging her pack back on, and exiting the tribe with the others.

Before Rinkah could help herself, she shouted out, "Keep Niles safe for me!" It was perhaps the loudest she had ever been in her life, maybe even a bit too loud, but she wanted Corrin to hear. "Keep everybody safe for me!" Corrin never turned back, but Rinkah knew she was smiling as she left. As the gates began to close behind them, she felt something cold hit her cheek, followed by her hand, then her arm. "It's…raining." She muttered, holding her hand out to feel it.

Her mother let out a soft chuckle. "You know, rain means something a bit different here. In other places its associated with sadness, but here, it's seen as a gift from the Flame God; a symbol of luck and hope." Rinkah found herself now clutching the cloak tied around her, feeling how soft the fabric was. She felt another drop of water run down her cheek, but she knew that wasn't the rain.

"Hope…"


	28. Guardian Angel

Beruka

Izumo. One of the wealthiest nations in history, yet also one of the smallest. Not once had it ever suffered an invasion, yet it refused time and time again to ally itself with any nation. Through brilliant diplomatic measures, fertile lands, and location near many other nations, allowing for easy trade opportunities, Izumo had flourished for centuries. It was almost a shame that Nohr planned on making it another puppet. Of course, it made sense on a strategic level; an alliance with Izumo would give Nohr the financial and diplomatic resources it needed to make a true push on Hoshido, but regardless, it meant destroying an independent heritage that the country had fostered. Even Beruka could sympathize with them, somewhat.

She expected Lady Camilla to feel the same way, but oddly enough she didn't seem to bat an eye at the idea of controlling Izumo from the shadows. "War is war, Beruka. You either win or you lose. That determines whether you're right." That sounded more like something Prince Xander or his father would say, not her. Half the reason she had stayed with Camilla even when better jobs cropped up was because she admired the woman for her kindness, yet here she was, brushing off an entire nation's woes for the sake of conquest. She had been acting colder lately, but Beruka couldn't pin down a reason for the sudden change in behavior.

At the very least, Selena was the same as always. A bit more on edge thanks to her recent injury, but aside from that, she was her usual self. "So you've noticed it too, huh?" She asked as they walked through the bustling crowds in the city streets, hoods up, heads down. "It feels like we're both out of the loop on some big secret here. I don't like it." Beruka bit her tongue, not mentioning the secret she was keeping from them. That man looked untrustworthy from top to bottom, the kind who would double-cross you as many times as you'd let him, and that girl, the Hoshidan…she was just unnerving. Nothing unnerved Beruka. "I swear I've heard her talking to herself. Think she's cracked?" The end of the question was meant as a joke, but she had seen it happen to people before. Too much power and responsibility at once could ruin a person.

"Unimportant." Beruka had gotten very good at hiding what she was thinking, and more importantly, making people believe she wasn't thinking much of anything at all. "Our mission takes priority." Selena scoffed at that, but didn't object to it. "How did the meeting with Zola go? Has he raised any concerns?"

"None at all." The answer was laced with satisfaction, as if his success somehow reflected well on Selena. "Those morons in the palace don't have the faintest clue that there's a coup going on right under their noses." At least that part of the mission was going off without a hitch. As for finding Prince Takumi, that was proving to be much more difficult. Word had yet to reach them of his arrival in Izumo, but it was more than possible that he would make sure he entered with as little fanfare as possible.

Her thoughts of how Takumi would even enter Izumo caused her to become distracted, making her bump right into someone in the crowd, knocking the both of them down, the basket they were carrying falling down with them, crashing on the street, peaches spilling out. "Oh no, nononono!" The girl groaned, springing onto her knees and trying to collect them as quickly as possible. Beruka was hesitant to risk standing out by simply leaving, so she quickly began gathering up the peaches that had scattered around, putting them in the girl's basket with her. Once they were all gathered up, she looked up at her. "T-thank you for the help. I'm sorry, I should've seen where I was going."

"No, it was my fault. My apologies." Beruka stood up, and the green-haired girl stood up with her. She turned to Selena, who had watched the exchange go down, arms crossed, and mouth closed. When she turned back to face the young girl, she was already gone, lost in the crowd.

Midori

"Go buy some food from the market, Midori. It'll be good for you, Midori. You need some time to relax, Midori. Don't put so much responsibility on yourself, Midori." She groaned just thinking about all the reasons she was forced to go shopping for the group. It was clear they didn't need the supplies, otherwise they would've given her an actual list, rather than just telling her to buy whatever she felt they needed. Well, the joke was on them; she only bought peaches! She couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces.

On second thought, the joke was a lot funnier in her head before she actually bought the basket full of peaches. Picking them all up after she dropped them was a pain in the rear too, though it was nice of that woman to help her out. Something about her was odd though, and Midori just couldn't put her finger on it. It felt like it was on the tip of her tongue, but the realization was still irritatingly far away.

Before she could ponder more on the subject, someone grabbed her by the arm and yanked her into a nearby alleyway. Her first instinct was to start struggling, but as she turned around, she got a good look at who had grabbed her. "Dwyer!?" She exclaimed, out of breath and confused.

"Huh. Even divorced from time and space, I still have a physical form. Neat." The droopy-eyed man muttered, letting go of Midori. "Thanks for letting me test that out. You've seen me before, right? I've gotta make sure I don't tell you something too soon or too late, or else everything gets thrown out of whack. Then again, that might not even be possible, if time is fixed. That would be nice; it means I don't have to worry."

As Dwyer mused to himself, Midori took the time to recover from the initial shock of seeing him again. "N-no, you haven't told us yet. That happens at the river. Wait, how do you even know all of this stuff anyways?" Having to deal with the warping of time that was involved was a headache and a half.

"You told me." Dwyer said it as if it were a common-sense conclusion, and then paused. "Or I guess, you'll tell me. I think I'm going backward in time. Ah, I suppose I should explain then. Once you get to the Dragon's Gate, you'll find me there. Tell me everything I need to know, and I'll be able to tell you." Make that two and a half headaches.

"Wait, so you tell me so that I can tell you so that you can tell me?" It seemed rather impossible for something like that to even happen. Was this just something she'd understand as she grew older?

"Don't think about it too much. Paradoxes are tricky." Dwyer shifted rather uncomfortably in place. "Ah, I can feel my body start to tear apart. That means it's goodbye for now. Remember, Severa with a 'v' and an 'r'! That's the most important part!" And with that, he was gone, blinking out of existence like he was never there. Midori looked all around the alleyway to make sure that he was well and truly gone before letting out a long sigh.

"Great. Well, at least I did something productive today." She muttered under her breath before heading out of the alley and towards the inn that they were staying at, now somewhat glad that she had been sent on the shopping trip. Otherwise, who knew if Dwyer would have even been able to talk to her? This was why she needed to maintain the responsibilities she held. She couldn't stop to rest, otherwise, everything could fall apart. She had no other choice. Or at least, that's what she kept telling herself.

Azura

She could hear her father's voice from behind the large, black marble doors, and she was ashamed to admit that it scared her. It made her want to run, to get as far away from everything as she possibly could and then keep running anyways until her legs couldn't carry her anymore. She knew that wasn't an option; not anymore. As much as she tried to pull the hood on her cloak as far over her face as she could, she felt bare to the world around her. There were only guards in the room, yet she felt as if a thousand eyes were upon her. Once those doors were open, she knew that feeling would come to fruition. Leo had wanted her reentrance into the Nohrian Court to be something that established her as more than the sullen little girl she had been when she left. She didn't doubt his good intentions, but she feared the plan would only backfire.

Leo's voice could be heard. "Before I take my leave, there is one more thing I would like to show you." For someone who wasn't fond of the social aspects of noble life, Leo still understood how they worked. More than anything, he knew how to put on a good show. "I discovered something on my way back from the Bottomless Canyon that I feel you will be most glad to see." That was her cue. With a deep breath that she wanted to hold forever, she opened the doors and stepped into her father's throne room.

There were a few dozen people in the room, mostly various nobles. Even after all the years she had spent in Hoshido, she still recognized a few of them, mostly through unhappy memories of scorn and spite. As her eyes poured through the people on either side of her, she noticed one face that made her stomach ache with nostalgia; a fair complexion that accompanied crystal-blue eyes and long, golden hair. The girl stared back at her, and they both realized who they were looking at. Azura quickly looked away, knowing that she couldn't dwell on any face for too long. Whispers were already spreading, only fueling her own paranoia. Had they already figured out who she was, or were they merely questioning who the cloaked figure walking up to King Garon was supposed to be?

Though the cloak was intended to simply be another layer of showmanship for Azura's "grand reveal", she was thankful for its presence, hiding how intensely she was trembling beneath. She finally reached Leo, standing next to him before getting down on one knee, as was customary to show respect. He looked back to the crowd before nodding at Azura, who finally lowered her hood, letting her blue hair spill out. "I present to you princess Azura, second in line to the throne of Nohr."

Whatever reactions the people around her were giving, she paid no attention. The world was drowned out around her as she looked up at her father, studying his weathered, tired face. He looked almost as if he were a husk, and yet his eyes were vibrant and vivid, shining with the true life within him. Suddenly, he moved, standing up from his throne, striking a figure that towered over all others present, casting a long shadow that seemed to engulf her. "Rise." He spoke, his voice quiet, but not soft. She did as he commanded, standing up and taking one more deep breath. He slowly walked to her, his face unreadable, unmoving, like that of a statue's own complexion, etched in stone. Then, she found herself locked in a tight embrace, one that left her unsure of how to respond. "Welcome home. How I've missed you, my daughter…"

Everyone was watching her, and she knew that whatever jealousy and hatred that had faded over the years of her absence had been reignited by her father's affection. That had always been what she despised about him the most; not any lack of love, but an abundance of it. He almost seemed to loathe the petty intricacies of Nohr's politics, yet that had only led him to encourage it, intentionally or not. His numerous illegitimate children led to a minor civil war, albeit one that was fought with manipulation and daggers, rather than swords and shields, and even now, he was repeating the same mistake he had made when she was young. His love for her, the daughter of the second, and in the eyes of many,  _inferior_  queen would only make her a target once again. And yet, she didn't have the heart to say this to him. Instead, all she could do was lie. "I missed you too."

The next few days were a blur, as if Nohr was making up for lost time. She met just about everyone who wanted to meet her, and as it turned out, that was quite the large amount of people. She had never fully grasped how many half-siblings she had until she had to shake hands with them and their parents, and those were just the ones who survived growing up during the bloodbath after her mother's death, with everyone vying for legitimacy. Eventually, there were only three winners, the heirs who had managed to gain Xander's support.

She had already talked to Camilla, back before she got to Krakenburg. She was the same, sweet, overprotective Camilla that she remembered, but she could tell the woman was hiding an aggressiveness under her sweetness. It came out only once, when she mentioned how Takumi had harmed her retainer, but it left Azura rather surprised. Leo was always a sharp mind, but it seemed that his intellect had led him to develop a bitter outlook on the world, one that made him much colder and more distant than he used to be.

Then, there was Elise. Elise was one of the last people Azura had met, and despite her exhaustion from the few days' worth of meetings and reintroductions, the mere presence of the girl seemed to reinvigorate her. This was still their first meeting, but it felt more like a reunion with how friendly she was acting from the beginning. There was no lie behind her smile, no ulterior motives, there was just an unbridled joy that came from her getting to have another big sister.

Finally, her last guest left. The moon was high in the sky, full and bright, as if it were the sun itself. She began to undo her stuffy, unbearably tight dress, ready to get into some more breathable, comfortable clothes, when suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Excuse me?" A girl's voice called out from the other side. "Azura, are you in there?" Did she have another meeting!? Quickly and hastily, she put her dress back on, somehow feeling even tighter than it was before.

"Come in!" Azura shouted, brushing off any dirt that might have gathered on the white fabric. The door opened with a surprising lack of sound, and in stepped that girl, the same one that she had locked gazes with back at the throne room, her blue eyes shining brilliantly in the moonlight. "I remember you. You're…" The name was on the tip of her tongue, yet she couldn't quite recall what it was.

"Lilly." The girl spoke, smiling. "It's nice to see you again, Azura. Though, I thought my favorite playmate wouldn't have forgotten my name." It was clearly meant to harmlessly tease, but Azura felt bad regardless. Lilly was one of the few people in Krakenburg who would give her the time of day, and the only one aside from her mother that she formed any sort of bond with. For some reason Lilly just didn't care much about the stain on a reputation that associating with Azura was; all she wanted to do was play with her best friend.

"My apologies. It's been a tiring couple of days; my mind's been scattered to the wind, I suppose." Azura looked around her room, noticing a chair and motioning to it. "Take a seat; there's plenty we need to talk about. I'd give you a cup of tea, but all my previous visitors used it all up."

"I thought it would be better to talk to you after everyone else." Lilly said, still smiling. "Oh no, you should take the seat, you need it more than I do. You're surely exhausted." Azura was hesitant, but did as she said, sitting down in the chair and feeling her eyelids grow incredibly heavy almost immediately. Perhaps she had a point there. "See? Unfortunately, I'll have to keep you awake a bit longer." She took a few steps over to Azura, holding out a slip of paper. "You've been cordially invited to a dinner party of mine, a few days from now."

The invitation listed a date, time, and address, all in a rather elaborate font. Azura looked through it for a few seconds to see if it was the kind that hid any codes, but couldn't find any. "I assume this invitation isn't just for the purpose of giving us more time to catch up with one another?"

"Sharp as ever, I see." Lilly's smile sharpened itself into a grin. "The Nohrian nobility's hatred for you and your mother may have dulled over time, but your reemergence, especially in the flashy way you carried it out, runs the risk of breathing life into old grudges. I'm not sure what Leo was thinking with that one." Azura was about to ask how she knew, but she explained before the words even left her mouth. "Of course it was Leo's idea; only he has that kind of flair. Anyways, the dinner party is going to be your chance to make a good impression on some powerful people, so don't waste this opportunity. Oh, and those two friends of yours are sitting tight in prison. I pulled a few strings to keep the guillotine held up a while longer."

The invitation was placed down on a nearby nightstand as Azura felt a familiar tinge of suspicion crawl up her spine, one that she had felt constantly back when she was a child. "Not to be ungrateful, but why go out of your way to help me? You seem to be doing rather well for yourself; why risk it for me and my friends?"

Lilly let out a short giggle, her grin still sharp. "Because we're friends, of course. The march of time won't change that, and neither will the whirlwind of politics that surround us." Azura wanted to say something, to thank her for standing by her, but before she could, a knock on her door stopped her. "Ah, that must be my retainer. Excuse me, that means it's time to go." Gracefully, she turned and walked to the door, opening it and facing an aged man wearing stark black armor with a long, thin scar running down his eye. "Hello, Gunter. How has the paperwork been going?"

"Very well, Lady Lilly. All the financials have been sorted out." Gunter answered, his hands held politely behind his back. He didn't even glance at Azura, only paying Lilly any attention. "There is a matter that requires your presence, posthaste." The girl nodded, giving Azura one last smile before stepping out of her room, shutting the door behind her.

Now that her final guest was gone, Azura focused her attention on trying to sleep, albeit in vain; despite her exhaustion, she found herself too restless to do anything but stare up at the ornate ceiling above her. That's when she heard something coming from the window; a gentle click, one that certainly would have gone unnoticed, had she been fading into sleep. For a moment she assumed it was merely some random noise, perhaps a small bird hitting the pane. Then, she heard it slowly creak open. That was when she sat up from her bed, looking at a man dressed in black, the moonlight reflecting off the dagger in his hand.

Time seemed to slow down. She reached for the first thing she could grab and threw it at him, jumping off her bed as it flew. The glass cup shattered against his arm, but he didn't relent, charging right at her, ready to strike. In an effort to dodge his lunging attack, she fell back down onto her bed, leaving her defenseless and open for another lunge, which the assassin had already shifted his weight into. Just as he began to plunge down, someone else barreled into him, knocking him down to the floor and giving her a chance to get up from the bed.

As the struggle continued, she ran over to the shattered glass near the window, grabbing the largest shard she could find, careful not to cut herself on it. Seeing that the struggle was not over yet, she rushed to the two men, stabbing down on the back of the assassin, eliciting a growl of pain as he pushed her off. The mystery man stabbed his shoulder with a knife, sending the assassin on the defensive, dashing out of the window, clutching his severe wounds. By the time Azura had run to the open window to see where he had gone, he had vanished into the night. She quickly closed and locked the window before running back to the mystery man, seeing that he had taken a wound to his side. His face covered with cloth, but she recognized his eyes. It was the same man she had encountered at the Bottomless Canyon, the one who warned her about using her pendant's power. He had gone limp in her arms, and after checking to make sure he still had a pulse, she hoisted him up onto her bed, stepping back.

Why did he save her? Who exactly was he? Who was the assassin, and who did he work for? All these questions were omnipresent in her mind until she noticed something hanging from the man's neck, stashed underneath a sash. Pulling it out, she stared in dumbfounded shock. He had her pendant. More than that, he had it even though her pendant was still hanging from her own neck. Yet there was no mistaking it; they looked exactly alike, down to the finest of details. "Who…are you?" She whispered, though no one heard it save for her.

Lilly

Her fingers circled the rim of her wine glass, the red drink gently swaying back and forth within. Round and round they went as she looked out of her estate's large window, watching the full moon shining brightly down against her. A full moon as bright as this one was a sign of good fortune, something she'd need for the days ahead. The dinner party still needed some extra décor, there was a meeting with a merchant she'd need to head to in the morning…and of course, there was that paperwork Gunter was handling.

Almost as if on cue, the retainer knocked on her door, entering shortly afterward. "Lady Lilly, I've just received news. The paperwork has…fallen through." Her finger stopped circling the wine glass, pressing firmly against it in order to prevent it from trembling. "The contracted party returned to me an hour ago, informing me of his failure."

"How unfortunate." Lilly remarked, biting her lip. "Here I thought he would be reliable. You disposed of him, correct? We can't have any loose ends, especially in the form of men too cowardly to risk their own demise to get the job done." Gunter nodded, giving her at least some reprieve from her agitation. "Very good. We'll continue to support Azura and her criminal friends, as to avoid suspicion. Start looking for a new contract to sign; hopefully, the next assassin won't be so incompetent."

"There is something else that requires your attention, Lady Lilly." Gunter's posture was rigid as always, in spite of his age. "Before I dispatched of him, he said there had been a third party involved. Someone else had entered through the window and attacked him, inflicting one of his more major wounds. He insisted that he would have been able to complete the task, had he not gotten involved." Now, this was interesting and especially irksome, enough to make her grip on her wine glass tighten until a crack formed on it, forcing her to relent, not wanting to wind up cutting her hand. She took a sip of her wine, trying to calm her nerves.

"So she has a guardian angel, then? Well, how very lucky she is." Lilly's gaze returned to the moon, hanging high in the sky. "How very lucky indeed. Make sure whoever you hire is aware of this. It seems this guardian angel needs his wings clipped." Gunter didn't say anything else, leaving the room and closing the door behind him. Her fingers resumed circling the rim of the wine glass, feeling the gentle, slim crack running over it. "Oh, Azura," She sighed. "I hope you won't make this too difficult for me. I only have so much goodwill to give, my dearest sister."


	29. Missed You Too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately, I'll no longer be able to support the bi-weekly schedule. Updates to the story are going to have longer gaps of time between them, with no set schedule going forward. Apologies for this.

Corrin

Gentle snowfall coated the burnt, ruined husks of houses and shops, forming a destroyed village with cobbles torn from its streets and any wells having dried up long ago. It was a somber sight, one that few people had seen. It had been destroyed decades ago by brigands, and in the time after, it had grown a rather nasty reputation of being haunted by the hundreds of restless souls that once inhabited it. This, along with its relative isolation from any major cities of Nohr, made it a place that almost nobody dared venture to. It also made it a fantastic place to hide treasure.

Nina's shoulders were tensed up and refusing to go down as the three of them walked through the ruined streets. Forrest was particularly jumpy, looking ready to run away at the first sign of danger. Corrin, meanwhile, felt comfortable. There weren't many places she could let her guard down, but this felt like one of them. The most trouble they'd find would be a couple of roaming Faceless, or perhaps a pack of wolves.

Ahead of them was a large stone building, scorched by flame but intact, something that couldn't be said for the other buildings in the village. There was a hole where a front door would be, and before Corrin stepped in, she bent down to disarm the tripwire she had – wait, the tripwire had already been disarmed. Carefully she stepped inside, entering a large room that only contained a few snapped pieces of furniture and a few doorways. All of the traps in here were disarmed as well; or at least, the ones that led to the basement were. "Careful," She warned with a whisper. "someone else has been here."

Down the staircase they went, Nina ready to summon her weird flaming bow, Forrest with a hand on his satchel and ready to yank out a tome, and Corrin with a simple knife in hand. The air around them was quiet, as if the world around them had frozen in place. As Corrin's foot landed on the last step, a hand reached out from behind the doorway and yanked her away from the group, alerting everyone to the presence that had been hiding. She found herself with a blade pressed to her throat, but only for a few seconds. Then, as quickly as it had pressed itself against her skin, it dropped to the ground, the attacker letting go of her and stepping back. She whipped around, only to see a face she certainly didn't expect.

"Corrin!" Mozu shouted, running back to her and hugging her tight. The embrace lasted for only a few moments before Corrin's stiff posture and uncomfortable grunts signaled her displeasure, so the girl let go and stepped back. Nina and Forrest were standing by the sides, with their eyes almost as wide as their open mouths. "Oh, it's so good to see you! I thought something had happened to you all and I was worried I'd never get to see you again because it was just so dangerous and I thought I was going to die but I didn't so I came here because I thought this would be the place you'd come to and I was right and thank goodness because if I wasn't I'd—"

"MOZU!" Corrin shouted, silencing the poor girl. "Breathe." Mozu did as she asked, and looked much calmer once she had. "We thought you had been captured by the Nohrians with Niles and Nyx and Azura. What happened?"

"Oh, I was captured, and it was just awful! I thought for sure that I was done for, but then we managed to formulate an escape plan. I had to pop one of my wrists out of place, but Niles was nice enough to get it back in the right position." She rubbed her wrist, adding in a hushed voice, "Even if it hurt like nothing else…" She seemed to realize that she was still being watched. "A-anyways, I thought they were gonna come with me, but we ran into a problem. The Nohrians knew who Azura was, so she was under too much protection for her to get out. Niles and Nyx said they were gonna stay behind, to keep an eye on her. They didn't want something bad to happen." The guilt on her face was obvious. "Why they decided I should be the one to find you guys, I dunno…" She blinked, looking to Nina and Forrest, then back to Corrin. "Wait. Where's Rinkah?"

Hearing that stung more than it should have. She had promised herself she wouldn't let it get to her too much, but she was already hurting just from the mention of Rinkah. She looked over at Nina and Forrest, who still hadn't said a word. "Why don't you guys go scout the perimeter? I wanna make sure there's nothing trying to sneak up on us, especially since Mozu disabled so many traps." It was a poor excuse to get her and Mozu alone, but they seemed to take the hint, leaving the basement. Corrin took a deep breath and looked back to Mozu. "Rinkah…didn't want to come."

Nina

**"Now's your chance, Nina."**  Vara had been bothering her about it ever since they had left the basement and gone outside.  **"You're all alone with Forrest, the snow around you both. You could provide him some reprieve from the bitter cold…"**  The fact that the bow had replicated her personality was especially irksome whenever she called back to her adoration for romantic novels.  _We're also in the ruins of a town that suffered a slaughter at the hands of ruthless barbarians._  She thought back, finding it to not exactly be a very romantic situation.

Still…Forrest was next to her, and she just couldn't stop glancing at him, thankful that he was rather ignorant when it came to noticing attention on himself. Why was she feeling this way now about someone she had known ever since she was a little kid? She loved the idea of romance, sure, but she had never been in a relationship herself, aside from faux ones for the purpose of swindling a rich person. Yet, she couldn't deny that as of late, her heart thumped a little out of rhythm whenever she was around him.  **"I'm just saying, you could at least take some kind of baby step. Ask him out to dinner, or something!"**

 _And where exactly would we eat dinner? I'm not seeing any fancy restaurants around here. Why do you even care what happens to my love life? Seems like a bizarre topic for a sentient bow to latch on to._  She felt like she wasn't even safe in her own head anymore, and privacy had become a completely foreign concept. Out of all the Divine Weapons, why did she have to get stuck with the nosy one?  **"I've got your personality and your memories. I'm basically you! Not only that, but I want to make sure my wielder is not just safe, but happy. It's only natural that I'd want your hopeless pining to lead to something worthwhile."**

"I'm not—" Nina stopped, realizing she was speaking out loud. Forrest glanced at her, forcing her to come up with something before it seemed odd. "I'm, um, not really too worried about checking the perimeter, you know? I mean, everything looks fine."

Forrest nodded, looking low to the ground. "Yeah. I get the feeling Corrin just didn't want us to be around. I can't blame her, honestly. I doubt she's still a very big fan of us after everything that happened. It feels like she's with us more out of necessity than anything else."

"Well, that doesn't matter. We'll win her trust back." Nina paused, realizing how uncertain she was about that. "Eventually." They continued on, walking through the ruins of the village as the snow kept falling, now heavier than before. It was already starting to become a bit difficult to walk around normally, and it would only get worse as time went on. They couldn't afford to stay much longer if they wanted to leave without effort.

From behind a large building, a hulking monstrosity emerged, colored a sickly green. "Faceless." Nina spoke, grabbing Forrest's attention. With a flick of her wrist, Skadi burst to life in her right hand, an arrow of flame forming in her left. In a single, swift motion, she nocked the arrow, pulled back and let it fly, embedding itself into the creature's mask and setting it ablaze. It made a guttural groan, still advancing to them, forcing Nina to fire another arrow at its knee, sending it to the ground. Before it could get back up, the flame had already consumed it.  **"Easy."**

"Nina!" Forrest's shout turned her attention to behind them, where two more were approaching.  _You just had to jinx it._  Nina thought as she fired on one of them, Forrest using a lightning tome to send to sharp bolts of electricity through the other one. Both monsters fell to the ground, dead and dissipating into ash. "Jeez, Corrin kinda underestimated the amount of Faceless we'd run into…" Something was off. Why hadn't they heard the footsteps or seen any tracks?

"Forrest, I don't think this is right." She kept her bow in her hand, her eyes scanning the area around them. They had wound up in a courtyard, a ruined fountain standing in the middle. All around them were ruined buildings, which meant plenty of cover for someone to hide behind. Perhaps a Nohrian dark mage, summoning Faceless in secret? No, it wasn't as simple as that; you'd need time and energy to do that, and summoning a few in a row was no easy task, hence why the mages who summoned Faceless always traveled in groups.

"Another one!" Forrest called out, readying his tome. "I've got it." Another lightning bolt hit the beast, blowing its head clean off. If there was someone creating all of these Faceless, then they'd never be found with so much cover.  **"How do you get a bird to leave its nest? You burn the tree to the ground."**  Vara's advice was just what she needed. Summoning another arrow, Nina fired at a random house and watched purple flames begin to engulf it. "What're you doing!?" Forrest asked.

"Trust me!" Nina responded, firing more arrows at the buildings around them, watching them all go up in flames. No more Faceless were emerging; whoever was summoning them no longer had the time, since they were likely too busy running from building to building, trying to find a place to hide. Finally, she spotted it; a figure dashing through a street to reach another section of houses. Nina fired a shot, hitting the ground just in front of them in an attempt to stop them. If there was one thing that she could say she enjoyed about this bow, it was that she rarely missed anymore.

The figure stopped, turning to face the two of them. "You're clever. Here I was thinking I'd be able to dispose of the two of you without much commotion. Guess he'll have to get Corrin without the element of surprise." Nina squinted trying to make out who they were. Then she saw it; the Hoshidan clothing, the dark hair, the piercing gaze.

"Rhajat?" Almost as soon as the question came, ashes seemed to materialize around the girl, forming into two more Faceless. The behemoths almost immediately broke into a sprint, charging at them.  **"Questions come later."**  Even Vara sounded worried.  **"Fight!"**

Corrin

"Gosh," Mozu muttered, a sullen expression on her face. "I can't believe it. I'm just glad she's alive. When she was attacked, I thought for sure that she wasn't gonna make it." All things considered, she was taking the news remarkably well. It was hard to believe that this girl was the same one who seemed to be about to break down at any moment back in Shirasagi.

"Is the treasure still here? We're gonna need more funds if we wanna get our people out of Krakenburg." A solid plan for how that was going to happen still eluded her, but that didn't bother her much. She'd figure it out as things went along, just like the always did. Thinking on her feet was one of her specialties, so she would come up with something brilliant on their way to Krakenburg. She had to.

Mozu nodded, walking to a slightly worn section of a stone wall, giving one of the stone slabs a kick and sending it out without much effort. Through the opening, Corrin could see a pile of various Hoshidan treasures in the makeshift cave they had dug out. It made her guiltier than she would have liked to admit, remembering that it had all come from her family. She took a breath, reassuring herself that she'd return anything she didn't spend once this was all over.

What would even let her know that it was all over? She thought that if she had grabbed the Yato, then she could use it to end the war. That turned out to be a bust, which meant that she had no real plan of taking down King Garon. Maybe when she broke into Krakenburg to rescue her friends, she could cut his throat open while she was there. Killing two birds with one stone sounded just fine to her.

A man's voice came from behind them. "You know, I've gotta hand it to you. You picked a great hiding place." Corrin spun around without even thinking, pure reflex and muscle memory sending the knife in her hand flying towards the voice. It embedded itself in the weak stone wall, right next to the man's face. He glanced to it, furrowing his brow. "I'm not sure what's worse; you throwing that at me, or the fact that your aim's worsened. I taught you better than this." Her mind caught up with her, recognizing the man.

"Uncle Shura!?" Corrin's eyes went wide, staring at the grizzled man. He seemed older than when she had last seen him, though he also had more of a stubble than usual. Everything else about him seemed exactly the same; his green cloak, his frizzled hair, his sharp expression, it was all the Shura she remembered. "Where have you – I mean, what were you – how…" She couldn't even make a coherent sentence, all she could do was just stare at him.

"Missed you too, kiddo." He yanked the knife from the wall, idly spinning it around and occasionally tossing it up into the air, only to catch it with ease. "I had to go dark for a while. I took a job that brought way too much heat on me. I was worried about you guys, but when I finally poked my head out from underground, I found out you were apparently a princess, and Niles and Rinkah were living it up in Hoshido with you. Then, you apparently went to Nohr. I've been trying to track you ever since."

"You didn't know? I thought…oh, I don't know…" She supposed it was wrong of her to believe he'd keep a secret like that, especially after she had trusted him for all her life. "I was starting to think I'd never see you again, that something bad happened to you. How did you even find us?"

"Oh, I talked to a guy who knows a guy who heard from this guy who…ah, never mind. The short and simple is that I got wind of a red-eyed girl and her posse heading up to an old, abandoned village with nothing worth taking. I thought you might be using it as a base of operations, and it turns out I was partially right. I heard the part about the treasure. How much you got back there?"

"Corrin…" Mozu whispered nervously. "Maybe we shouldn't be so trusting…"

Corrin suppressed a laugh. "Are you kidding? I'd trust him with my life. He raised me, Mozu. Taught me everything I know. Without him, I'd have died on the streets a long time ago. I owe him…well, everything."

"Aww, well isn't that sweet?" Shura interjected, half-mockingly. "I think my heart's swelling up with love right now." Corrin was about to tell him to shove off when a loud crash could be heard from outside, one that made him oddly alert. There was a brief moment of silence. Then, he looked towards the exit to the basement, then back at her. "Damnit, I told that idiot to keep things quiet. And here I thought things were gonna be easy." He let out a long, heavy sigh. "Sorry kiddo, but you're gonna have to drop any other weapons you've got on you. Same goes for your friend here."

"Why would we do that?" Her enthusiasm began to deflate. "What was that noise?" Another crash could be heard, and the second Corrin looked up at the ceiling to see dust fall to the ground, Shura charged at her, knife in hand. She wasn't going to be able to get out of the way in time, he was getting closer and closer and she had no way out.

Just as he lunged out, Mozu rammed into him shoulder-first, shoving him to the ground and sending the knife skidding across the floor. As he picked himself up from the ground, Corrin finally sprung to action, dashing over to the knife and grabbing it before he could get to her. By the time she spun around to face him, he was already trying to grab her wrist. She yanked it away and swung up, forcing him to take a step back. "What the hell are you doing!?" She shouted.

"Sorry kiddo. If it makes you feel any better, I'm supposed to take you alive." He made another move, this time swinging a fist right at her jaw. It connected, reverbing through her skull like a hammer, leaving her disoriented. The sucker punch gave him enough time to grab for her knife again, but before he could take it from her, he ducked out of the way of a stone brick that flew past where his head had been and hit the wall behind Corrin. She could see Mozu with a fierce look in her eyes, her shoulders heaving up and down. "Hot damn, where'd you find her?"

Corrin took a breath, then swung her leg up, slamming her foot hard against his kneecap, sending him down onto one knee. With her foot still in the air, she swung it against his face, the impact leaving him falling onto his back. Looking down, she saw that he had been knocked unconscious from the blow. "We gotta go." She glanced at Mozu before heading to the stairs. "Nina and Forrest must be in trouble. C'mon!" Adrenaline kept her mind off the dozens of questions she could be asking, and most importantly, it stopped her emotions from getting the better of her.

Once she was out of the building, she saw a couple of Faceless nearby, more loud noises coming from their direction. She started to run, but just as she turned away, another one emerged from behind the building, grabbing her with both hands and holding her up to its masked face. She stabbed down into one of its hands, trying to worm her way out, but all it did was tighten its grip. She felt something crack in her chest as her knife fell out of her hand and onto the snow below. The air in her lungs was running low, and every panicked gasp did little to relieve her.

The monster let out a pained groan, letting go of her as it turned its attention to its leg, where Mozu had driven the knife in and proceeded to cut around. Corrin hit the ground, feeling another rib break, though thankful that the snow somewhat softened her landing. She watched Mozu send the monster to its knees before driving the knife through one of the holes in its mask, twisting it until it began to turn to ash. She turned her attention to Corrin, helping her up onto her feet. Corrin bit her lip and let out a hiss of pain as she felt her chest burning, but she didn't hesitate, running with Mozu to the sounds of battle nearby.

Arriving in a courtyard, she spotted Nina and Forrest fending off a half dozen Faceless as a strange girl watched, a downright malicious grin on her face. Before they could do anything, the girl noticed Corrin, and suddenly there were two more Faceless behind them, grabbing her and Mozu with ease. Instead of killing them on the spot, the creatures then began to walk over to her. Nina and Forrest had noticed their plight, but couldn't intervene without getting attacked themselves.

"There you are, darling." The girl spoke, her voice low and monotone. "I'm so glad to finally see you again." For every Faceless that was struck down, more just kept popping up in a seemingly endless horde. "Even if I have to deal with these annoyances, it's worth it."

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Corrin asked, straining to speak. "Also, did you just call me 'darling'?" The girl smirked at that, biting her thumbnail nervously. She seemed to be about to say something, but before she could, a shuriken hit her back, making her scream in pain. There was a brief gap where the Faceless stopped appearing, and Forrest and Nina used that opportunity to take down the ones holding Corrin and Mozu, freeing them.

Behind the girl was the same man who had killed Kotaro, the same man who warned her not to trust Nina and her friends. The man who they claimed was her son. "Follow me!" He shouted. She had a million reasons not to trust him, but she had more reasons not to stay put. So she ran, and the others followed suit, following him out of the village as more Faceless pursued them. It was only once they were in the nearby forest, finally no longer being pursued, that she realized just how tired she was. Her chest didn't hurt anymore, it was just…numb. Her eyes were too droopy to keep open. Before she even realized it, she was falling to the ground, passed out.

Soleil

She downed another bottle, setting it down on the table a little harder than she intended. It was only a few movements later that one of the bar's employees approached, grabbing the bottle. "Another, I presume?" The girl asked. Soleil almost called her cute, but she decided against it, instead simply nodding.

It was only a few moments later that her father took a seat across from her, a concerned look on his face. "All this drinking can't be good for you." She merely grunted in annoyance, remembering all the times he had said that in her time as well. "You wanted to talk? I got the note you left under my door."

"Yeah, I do." She took a deep breath, sitting up straight. "I'm leaving. I told Siegbert this morning that I was leaving his service. There wasn't much he could do; officially, I'm just a mercenary working for him." Finally saying it was more of a relief than she thought it would be. "In a couple of days, I'll leave Castle Krakenburg. I can't…I can't do this anymore. I don't even know why I came here with them. I guess I just wanted to get away from all my baggage from where I came from, but…recent events have brought that baggage back." She tried not to wince, remembering the vivid nightmare she experienced at the Bottomless Canyon. "I just have to get away from it all. I'm sorry."

"I see." That was all he said for a while. "You know, I must admit you leaving is a bit of an issue. Selena was supposed to find out if you three were telling the truth, but Princess Camilla whisked her away. Siegbert and Velouria aren't too keen on saying anything more. It's especially worrying for Odin since he doesn't know what happened to his daughter." He let out a deep breath. "And of course, I'm still coming to grips with you being…my daughter." He had a bit of trouble saying it out loud.

"I know. I know, and I'm sorry." She clenched her fists under the table, feeling them tremble. "That's why I want you to come with me." There was another stretch of silence. "You don't have to answer now. I just…I think you should get away from it all, too. Things are only going to get worse, and I don't want you to get caught up in all of it."

"Soleil, it's not that simple. I have people I want to keep safe, people I need to protect." That stung especially hard, but she knew he didn't mean it that way. After all, he barely knew her. It was understandable that he didn't treat her the same way that he did in her time.

"I know, and that's why I'm giving you time. I won't be leaving for a few days. I still have to pack up my things and get everything in order, so I won't be leaving just yet. You don't have to say yes, just…please, think about it." She didn't wait for him to answer. She wasn't sure she could handle hearing him say no, not yet. Fishing through her pockets, she pulled out some coins and set them on the table. "The drink's on me." With that, she walked around the table and left the tavern, stepping out into the cold night.

By the time Soleil reached Krakenburg, the moon was high in the sky, and she felt like she was ready to collapse. The halls were nearly empty, save for the patrolling guards, so when she spotted someone heading her way, she grew slightly wary. As the man approached, she recognized him as Iago, one of King Garon's advisors. "Ah, there you are. I was just looking for you, Soleil." He had a smile that set off all sorts of alarms in her mind. "I received word that you canceled your contracted work for us. A shame; you displayed true talent, from what I've heard. There wouldn't happen to be anything I could do to change your mind, would there?"

"I'm afraid there isn't." A sigh accompanied her answer. "I've made up my mind. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to rest." She moved to walk past him, but he stopped her, setting a hand on her shoulder.

"That's a shame. I did hope I wouldn't need to do anything drastic." She heard footsteps behind her, but before she could move away, something hit her hard on the back of her head, knocking her unconscious.

She woke up in a dark, dingy cell, barely illuminated by nearby torchlight. Past the cold metal bars was Iago, staring down at her. Despite her dizziness, she sprung up to her feet and rushed to the bars, staring at him. "What is this? Why am I in here!?" Testing the cell door showed that it was indeed locked tight, much to her dismay.

"You thought you could hide who you were? Who your friends were?" Iago's question was laced with venom. "We know, Soleil. We know who your father is, we know who your  _mother_  is, and we know that makes you very,  _very_  important." A pit formed in her stomach.

"H-how do you know!? Siegbert and Velouria never would've told you!" They knew who her mother was. They  _knew_. That was a secret she had only told a handful of people, people she trusted explicitly.

"Ah, yes. Rhajat wished to send you a message. She says that you really ought to pick more isolated areas to spill your secrets. You never know who could be listening." Rhajat!? She was alive? Not only alive, but working for Nohr of all things? "You may not know everything, Soleil. You may not know why your lineage makes you oh so important. However, you do know that we cannot very well let you leave. You're important, whether you like it or not." He reached out a hand through the bars, gently grabbing a few strands of her hair. Before she could think, she shoved his hand away, watching it roughly impact the bars of the cell. With contained fury, he stepped back. "Don't think you'll be looked for. Everybody believes you're leaving, after all. They'll simply assume you chose to skip the goodbyes. Worry not, however. If all goes well, nobody will be harmed. And if not?" A chuckle escaped his lips. "Well, you should pray that it does."

With that, he left. Soleil was stuck in her cell, and she knew that all the screaming in the world would never attract any help. So she didn't scream; instead, she sat down on the floor and began to cry. That was all she could do, and it was all she wanted to do.


	30. Some Kind of Fool

Odin

Odin was furious. Firstly, he had found out he had a daughter, one who he had met himself without even knowing who she was. He left her in those ruins and hadn't seen her since. He kept telling himself that the daughter of Odin Dark certainly wasn't going to just keel over and die against one foe, but he saw how much Peri had changed. It was like the girl had lost the little grip to sanity she previously had.

Second, he now had to deal with a rather fractured sense of trust. Selena was gone, back to sticking to Princess Camilla like glue, which meant the only person he could trust was Laslow. The three future children were definitely not the kind of people he'd tell any secrets to, and Jakob, while certainly a devoted retainer, was not somebody who would refrain from telling his liege anything he thought would be even remotely important. He supposed that Effie and Arthur could be confided in, but they were far too busy attending to the unusually morose Princess Elise.

Third, and perhaps most aggravating, was that Odin's pride had been gravely wounded by Iago, that conniving, sniveling advisor to King Garon. He had the audacity, the  _nerve_  to claim that Odin Dark needed a teacher to further educate him in the dark arts! "Dark" was his last name, for crying out loud! Well, his fake last name, anyways.

He had been so busy fuming over the insult that he forgot to actually knock on the door to his new teacher's study. Collecting himself, he rapped his knuckles against the wooden door. "Enter." A girl's voice called out from inside, accompanied by the click of the door unlocking. Letting out a sigh of resignation, he entered the study.

Almost immediately, Odin found himself besieged by various foul scents coming from all sorts of directions, causing him to recoil in disgust. The girl spoke again. "If a couple of bad smells are enough to make you flinch, then I understand why Iago wanted me to teach you dark magic." A soft giggle accompanied the taunt. "At least I won't have to teach you about a lack of shame. You've got that down pat." Odin looked towards the source of her voice and found himself staring at a young girl sitting atop a large pile of various books and tomes. When he saw her, he realized that she wasn't just any girl.

"Wait, you should be in the castle dungeons!" He exclaimed as Nyx leisurely read through a book that looked practically as big as she was. Her eyes glanced upwards from the text, glaring daggers at him.

"Iago cut me a deal, bless his heart. I get my freedom back, and all I have to do is further your understanding of dark magic." Her eyes flicked back to the book, continuing to read through it. "Being able to freely peruse the castle library is a splendid bonus, I must admit. It has reminded me that there are still numerous works of literature I've yet to enjoy. I'm especially enjoying how preciously naïve this one is." Squinting his eyes, he saw the cover of the book was labeled  _How to Make Him Fall for You in a Fortnight_.

"This is absurd!" Odin exclaimed, having a difficult time processing this information. "Iago must be going mad, thinking that letting a child teach me is going to amount to anything." Nyx's eyes locked on to him once more, only this time they gave him the impression that she would love nothing more than to turn him into a bloody pulp.

"I am no child, you ignorant egomaniac." She spat back, setting the book down on the pile. "If you truly believe that my teachings will amount to nothing, perhaps you should ask Iago to give you a demonstration of what he's learned. I'm sure he'd have no issue with sucking the life out of you."

Odin gulped nervously. "You…you taught Iago?" He had very little respect for the man, but his mastery of dark magic was not to be underestimated. Was Nyx truly the one who had taught him? "I don't understand, how could you have taught him when you're a—" He stopped himself before he could say the c-word again.

"I'm nowhere near as young as you may think." She twirled her hair around her finger, already seeming bored once again. "Yes, I showed him everything he knows. He was quite a promising young boy when I first met him. I thought I could take him in as an apprentice of sorts." A morbid chuckle escaped her lips. "It was quite the valuable lesson in my own failings. But never mind that." She lazily gestured to a nearby table holding a tome and a potted plant. "On that table are what we'll be using for today's lesson. Take the tome, and for the love of Deimos, please don't use it yet."

"What's a 'Deimos'?" Odin asked, curiously approaching the table. He recognized the tome as Nosferatu, one of the easiest types of dark tomes. Of course, using the word "easy" to describe any sort of dark magic was disrespecting the difficulty of employing its power.

"Ah, right, Nohrian inquisitors wiped his religion off the face of the earth. It's a shame; he was one of the more tolerable false gods out there." Nyx mused, continuing to twirl her hair around her fingertip. "Now, I assume you have the intellect to recognize that tome?" He gave her a nod in response. "Good. I asked Iago to provide a live specimen to use, but he denied me. So instead, we'll be using that plant."

Odin looked to the plant, a pink rose that stood tall and proud, its thorns sharp and its petals gloriously bright. He had to admit that it would be a shame to kill it. "Now tell me, Odin," Nyx's voice rang out. "what is dark magic?"

He remembered when his father had first educated him on the topic.  _"Dark magic is a force of evil. It exists to kill and destroy, and it will do the same to you if you let it. Using dark magic is a matter of forcing it to do what you desire, whether that be good or bad."_  He repeated his father's words to Nyx, who let out a sigh of frustration.

"You couldn't possibly be more incorrect. Iago sent me quite the basket case, didn't he?" The words stung Odin more than any of her other insults since they indirectly were aimed at his father as well. He was tempted to lash out, to defend his father's teachings, but he stayed silent. "Dark magic is not a force of evil; to claim it to be so is an act of pure ignorance. Dark magic is a law, one that every living creature must follow. It is not 'evil', it is not 'unnatural', and it most certainly isn't something to fear. It is simply the law of death and decay. All living things are creeping ever closer to their death every moment they live. Using dark magic is merely an acceleration or deferral of that law. To fear dark magic is to fear death itself, hence why so many reject it."

Silence followed her explanation as Odin processed it. He had never heard somebody describe any sort of magic that way, and as foreign and strange as the explanation was, it also felt intrinsically  _right_ , as if it really was the universal law that she described it as. She continued, "In order to most effectively channel dark magic, you must understand what it is. You must understand what you're doing with it. Most importantly of all, you must understand that  _it does not belong to you_. You are not its master. Even as you manipulate it to your whim, it is still eating away at you. One day, when it claims the last flicker of life you possess, you will die, and even once you have passed, it will continue to devour you until even your bones fade to nothing but dust. Now," She motioned to the plant. "Use it to reduce that plant to nothing."

Odin always had a knack for magic, thanks to his heritage. However, he had never viewed dark magic as anything but another variation on that power. Knowing now what he was using, what powers were contained in the tome that he held, he found himself feeling very small and very scared. He understood now why Iago wanted Nyx to teach him.

Taking a deep breath, Odin cast the spell. It wasn't too tough; his affinity for magic paired with his experience with this spell meant he didn't need to put too much effort into the process. The rose began to wilt as petals went from their vibrant pink to a dull, empty brown. The green of the stalk and thorns vanished entirely as it shriveled up into a deformed, useless husk. He felt its life enter himself, rejuvenating him ever so slightly. "Not bad." Nyx remarked. "I hope you aren't riding the high of its energy; you gained a few extra milliseconds at most. Nosferatu may be the only dark magic that lengthens a user's lifespan, but you certainly couldn't live indefinitely. Much of the victim's life is lost in the process of transferring it to you."

"Then, how are you like this?" Odin asked curiously. "I mean, you artificially lengthened your lifespan. That's the only explanation for how you're old enough to have taught Iago yet still look so young." Almost immediately after saying it, he realized he had stumbled upon a touchy subject. Nyx's face lit up with rage, and he began to see his life flash before his eyes.

"Get out. The lesson is over." She demanded, her voice making sure he knew that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. Without wasting a breath, Odin left her study, hearing her mutter something about a foolhardy child. He assumed she was talking about him.

Mitama

The group had devised a plan. That was about the extent of Mitama's knowledge on said plan. She knew that she was in the same room as them when they discussed it, and she knew they talked about all of it while she was around them, but she never really  _knew_  the plan. She was a tad too busy writing in her notepad to actually pay attention to any of what they were talking about, so it all flew completely over her head. Unfortunately for her, that almost immediately backfired.

As it turned out, the plan was to enter Castle Izumo officially, with Takumi and Hinoka's royal status allowing them to get away with the sudden entrance. The others would pose as servants of the royal family, when in reality they would snoop around the castle while the two siblings did their best to draw attention away. Asugi was the one who came up with the idea, figuring that if this "Severa" person was in Izumo, there would likely be some record of her within the castle.

There was one problem, however. Mitama wasn't allowed to snoop around like the others. Rather, her role was to be a royal scribe, and that meant following Takumi and Hinoka around, writing down whatever seemed important, supposedly for historical preservation. Now, her notebook was almost exclusively used to store haikus, and even the rare bits of writing that weren't poetry-related were only there because she wanted them to be. Now, however, she had to write what  _they_  wanted her to write, and that infuriated her to no end.

Letting out a sigh to lament her cruel fate, Mitama continued writing things down as she followed her aunt and uncle down a hallway. She was so busy wrapping herself up in her own misery that she almost bumped right into them as they stopped walking. Looking past them curiously, she spotted the reason why they had stopped.

A woman approached in black armor, her long purple hair resting on her shoulders. She brushed some of it out of her face, though there was still so much that it even covered one of her eyes. Strapped to her back was an axe with a cragged blade, one that seemed to exude an aura of menace. "Well now, isn't this a surprise?" Her voice was smooth and pitched to accentuate every word she spoke. "I certainly didn't expect to run into two members of Hoshidan royalty. I thought you had a war to fight."

Takumi instinctively reached for the Fujin Yumi before remembering that all their weapons had been confiscated under Archduke Izana's orders. He claimed it was to maintain the peace of Izumo. "Nobody's come to take away your weapon yet? I'm surprised; you'd think that would be a priority for a Nohrian."

Princess Camilla laughed for a few moments, the tone of it making it clear that she wasn't fazed by his insult. "My, someone's rather touchy today. Maybe it's just the pain in your eye socket. I've heard those sorts of injuries don't stop hurting for quite a while. I love your eyepatch, though." Takumi couldn't help himself from reaching up and feeling his eyepatch, a simple gray cloth with string tying it around his head. It was the best they could manage, considering their current circumstances. "I suppose they simply trust a Nohrian more than a Hoshidan. Not that I can blame them; your ninjas are a crafty bunch, after all."

Hinoka was next to speak up. "We don't have any ninjas with us. Just royal attendants." Mitama nearly shriveled up in fear as Camilla's eyes locked on her for what felt like an eternity, scanning her. "Of course, we wouldn't attempt to harm you here, as much as we'd like to. Any dignified ruler knows to honor Izumo's neutrality. Isn't that right?"  
Another laugh left Camilla's lips, visibly irritating Hinoka. "Of course, of course. Never in a million years would I wish to disrupt the trust we've gained over decades. I just keep this on me for…" She paused, as if she was deliberating her choice of words. "…personal reasons. Think of it as that extra sword your samurais carry around with them, yet never use."

Hinoka was even angrier by this point. "They're meant for the sole purpose of maintaining honor. They use it to take their own lives if they face the threat of being captured by enemy forces. It's quite a noble deed, though I imagine you're not too familiar with the concept of honor."

"Oh, is that so?" Camilla's eyes narrowed as her lips formed a soft grin. "Then I suppose my axe is quite different from that. After all, unlike those fools, if I'm backed into a corner, I'll be using it to kill the enemy, not myself. We Nohrians prefer to go down fighting, rather than idiotically wasting our own lives."

Hinoka stepped forward, her voice raising. "You take that back!" As she was about to continue shouting, Takumi stopped her, laying a hand on her shoulder. Still fuming but trying to compose herself, she stepped back, her fiery glare persisting.

"I'm sure you aren't simply here to trade insults with my sister, Princess Camilla." Takumi spoke, his voice calm and collected. "If you need something from us, now is the time to ask. Of course, it's doubtful we'll agree to any request coming from you." Watching the exchange go down, Mitama was awestruck by just how inspiring the scene was. With the tension, the history, the emotions and everything else, it felt like a scene ripped straight out of a painting!

"An astute observation, Prince Takumi." Her grin widening, Camilla cut right to the chase. "I have an offer for you, and you alone. Come with me to Castle Krakenburg. I guarantee you will not be harmed at any point, nor will you be interrogated or questioned. My father is highly interested in meeting you. If all goes well during your discussion, we may just be able to end the war. Interested?" Her eyebrow raised.

There was a long silence after she finished. Mitama couldn't tell if she was joking or not. It had to be a joke, right? There was no possible way that a member of Nohrian royalty would make such a civil offer, especially in times of war. Takumi seemed to agree with that sentiment. "You must think me some kind of fool. I'm honestly insulted."

"Oh no, I know you're no fool. In fact, I'm asking you because I know you're intelligent enough to see that accepting my offer is the best course of action." As her eyes flickered back to Mitama, she realized she had forgotten to keep writing in her notepad. She hastily resumed, jotting down Camilla's offer. "Now don't take me for a woman who begs. I'll only ask you once. If you say no, then that'll be it. I'll leave you be, and you and your sister can finish whatever business you have here. If you say yes, I can have us heading to Nohr by tomorrow morning. What do you say?"

Takumi's answer was almost instant. "No." There was a lull in the conversation before Camilla gave an almost sinister smile, turning and walking away, her heels clicking loudly against the floor, echoing against the walls. Each time, Mitama felt her heart sink, getting a strong feeling that the situation was most definitely not resolved.

Leo

His father's throne room, like always, felt hostile even to his own kin. Leo often wondered how his father could stand an environment like it, but the man seemed perfectly content with it. "Your axe is gone." He noted, seeing that both his father's hands were empty. He couldn't remember the last time he saw his father without that axe.

"Camilla has it, for the time being. I trust she will use it well." King Garon responded, his voice and face unreadable, even for someone like Leo. "I've read your report on the events at the Bottomless Canyon, and I must say that this is beyond what I would have expected from one of your little research expeditions." The belittling context did not go unnoticed. He was aware that his father thought less of him due to the time he spent researching and studying, rather than fighting or playing tactician like Camilla and Xander. He had the mind for it, but lacked the desire to participate in his father's foolish war. Sure, if an opportunity appeared, he would seize it; otherwise, he would have let Prince Takumi and Princess Corrin go on their merry ways. However, he would not get involved in the war if he could avoid it.

"Thank you, father." Leo said with manufactured gratitude. "If I may, I believe we should work as quickly as possible to discover how to kill Peri. That weapon, Ganglari, is keeping her alive through incredibly severe injuries. I've formed a hypothesis that if her mind is cut off from the weapon through decapitation or severing her sword arm, we could break her link to the weapon and kill her for good. We must be quick, however; Peri's insane, but she's also smart, and I know she'll figure out a way to escape the bindings I've created for her sooner or later."

His father deliberated on the suggestion, closing his eyes and taking a heavy breath. "No." His answer was swift and heavy, leaving Leo confounded. He opened his mouth, wanting to protest the decision, to explain how much of a danger Peri was, but his father interrupted him. "She will remain here, and alive. Keep her in the most secure cell we have in the dungeons, and make sure she doesn't find a way to escape your bindings. I'm sure you'll be able to think of ways to keep her contained."

After that, it turned into a very short conversation. Leo knew that if he kept talking for too long, his anger would show, so as soon as he got the chance, he excused himself and stepped out of the doors to the throne room. The hall leading into it was seemingly empty aside from the tall pillars on either side of the walkway. However, Leo could hear breathing. "Come on out, Elise." His little sister emerged from behind a pillar, nervously clutching her hands together. "How many times have I told you not to listen in on father's conversations?"

"Why doesn't father want to stop Peri? I…I don't want to be here if she's here too. I don't wanna be in danger." The fear in her eyes was palpable, and it left Leo's heart wrenching for her. If there was even a trace of innocence left in Castle Krakenburg, Elise was the one who held it. Just the idea of her being in danger enraged him. It's what made father's plan at Shirasagi so detestable, and it's what made his refusal to dispose of Peri so baffling.

Then again, father never was one to protect his children. Whether that was out of some twisted sense of natural selection, or him simply not caring, Leo could never tell. "It's gonna be alright, Elise. You've got Arthur and Effie to protect you. You've got Xander, Camilla, Azura, and me to protect you. You'll be alright." Lying was something that Leo always considered himself rather skilled at, but he never felt like he was good at it when talking to Elise.

"Xander's too busy planning the war to even talk to us!" Elise fired back. "Camilla's gone on another mission, just like she always is. Azura's too busy meeting people to spend any time with me. You're probably just gonna go on another one of your stupid research expeditions and leave me alone again!" The words stung, but Leo knew she was right, at least partially. "Arthur and Effie are my best friends, but they're not my siblings. I…" She was trying not to show any tears. "I just want us to stay together. It feels like we're getting further and further away every day, and I can't take it anymore."

It was to be expected that Elise would take a toll from the war, but Leo never expected her to be so distraught over it. Had he been ignoring her all this time, leaving her to wallow in her own misery? Did she still feel guilty about the incident in Shirasagi, like she had been when they first came back? Just how much of his little sister's life was he missing?

He set his hands down on her shoulder. "I'm not going to leave you alone, Elise. Until this war's over, I'm not going to go on a single one of my stupid research expeditions." It was a big promise to make, and one that would be even harder to keep, but Leo didn't care about that in the moment. All he cared about was making sure Elise kept smiling.

She sniffed, still having not let her watery eyes shed any tears. "Promise?" She asked, her voice uncertain. That was probably what stung the most to Leo; she still didn't fully believe him. He was going to make sure she would never have any reason to doubt him again. He smiled at her, realizing to himself that he couldn't remember the last time he had actually smiled.

"Promise."


	31. Talk to Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so ya’ll know, I’m gonna go dark for about a week. This is for very serious reasons, and absolutely not because Kingdom Hearts 3 comes out on Tuesday. Nope, not at all because of that. Also, go Mozu for CYL 3.

Selena 

Lady Camilla's guest room at Castle Izumo was rather empty, a fact that made its sheer size even starker. In one corner sat a jumble of combat and vanity items that comprised her personal belongings, crammed tightly together, as if Camilla needed even more empty space. The room lacked many ways for sunlight to get in, something that bothered Selena despite Camilla likely preferring it due to her heritage. Pressed against the wall was a Nohrian-style bed, which combined with the rest of the room, was created to allow Nohrian guests feel more comfortable.

Selena wished she shared that feeling of comfort. Instead, as she closed the door behind her, she only felt anxious. Sitting at the edge of her bed and giving a soft smile, Camilla gently swayed her legs back and forth. "I'm glad to see that Beruka delivered my message in no time at all."

"Yeah, she prioritized speed over privacy. Walked in on me bathing like it was no big deal, the weirdo." Selena pouted, crossing her arms. "Whatever, that's just Beruka being Beruka. You wanted to talk?" The princess's face was almost unreadable, something which always bugged her. She liked being able to read people, to gauge what they thought of her, but when it came to Camilla, she usually just had to take what she said at face value.

"Come, sit down. How's your shoulder?" She patted the bedside next to herself. Selena simply stood where she was; there was no way that she'd do that, no matter who asked her. Camilla's expression changed for a fraction of a second, but before Selena could figure out what it had changed to, it was back to normal. "No need to be nervous, Selena. I'm just curious as to how you're doing. After all, you're my retainer."

Selena frowned, scoffing. "I'm not nervous. I'm perfectly fine, thank you for asking. And as for your other question, my shoulder still hurts like hell, but it's working fine enough." Her mind began racing, trying to figure out if there was some sort of ulterior motive. Camilla did enjoy this sort of conversation every few months, but something felt different about this one. "So, what did you actually want to see me for?"

Camilla's smile only seemed to grow softer every time Selena spoke. "I already told you. I want to know how you're feeling. I want to know what you're thinking. I just want to…" she paused. "pick your brain a bit. That's all." Was this some sort of test? A way to test if she was still loyal, if she was having any doubts? Fine, she decided, she'd play along. She needed to vent, anyway.

"Do I have permission to speak my mind without reprimand?" Selena asked, not wanting to be caught off-guard. Camilla nodded, still smiling that puzzling, perplexing smile that she always wore. "Alright." She exhaled a breath she didn't quite have, breathed back in, and spoke. "Working for you is the best thing that's happened to me since I came to Nohr. You're an employer who gives me a steady pay, you don't pry into where I came from, the missions I got on are never boring, and I could retire in a matter of ten or fifteen years if I wanted to, thanks to how much I earn as a royal retainer."

If Camilla was pleased to hear that, she didn't show it. In fact, she had stopped moving completely, her legs no longer dangling back and forth. "However," Selena began. "it's not a perfect job. For one, Nohrian politics drive me up the wall. All the damn time I feel like I have to butter up to every person in Krakenburg just so there aren't any targets on my back. Everybody here has masks they hide behind, and it forces me to hide behind one too, and I hate it. You're not exempt from this."

She continued. "As your retainer, I feel I don't have to apologize for looking into your past and personal life. Even when I was working for random nobles and the like, I always investigated my employer, for safety reasons; namely, my own. I know your relationship with your mother was, to put it bluntly, terrible. I know you shed no tears when she kicked the bucket, and I know that despite your hatred of her, you took more than a few lessons of hers to heart. Every day you dress and prepare yourself so that your presence is exactly how you'd like it. You put plenty of effort into looking like you aren't putting any effort into your appearance."

Another flash of emotion appeared on Camilla's face, but it was gone just as quickly as it arrived. "I know a schemer when I see one, Lady Camilla, and you're a hell of a schemer. You've got ideas, you've got plans, and you're smart enough to keep that hidden to yourself. It's near-impossible to see what you're really thinking, and you like it that way. Even now, when you invited me in, you offered a seat on your bedside, trying to get my guard down, to more easily get me to tell you what you wanted to hear. You like to see what other people are deep down inside, but you refuse to let anyone see the real you. It's infuriating, and more than that, it's insulting. But the pay's still good, so I'll keep working for you. Is that the kind of response you wanted to hear?"

There was a beat. Then, Camilla spoke. "Yes. Thank you, Selena. You may go now." Even after all of that, there wasn't a trace of anger on her face. Seeing that only made Selena's anger more apparent as she turned and walked briskly out of Camilla's room, shutting the door loudly behind her.

"You shouldn't talk to Lady Camilla like that." Beruka spoke, standing just outside the door, leaning against the wall.

Selena scoffed. "What? Are you afraid I hurt her feelings or something? She wanted honesty, so I gave it to her."

"You shouldn't have. Not when she's like this."

"Like what?" Beruka didn't say anything in response. Instead, she motioned to the door, putting a finger over her lips. Cautiously, Selena pressed her ear against the door, listening closely.

Camilla could be faintly heard. "No, I don't need to know where she came from. I trust her." A pause. "Yes, Beruka as well." Another pause. "No, I don't trust him. I've wanted to gut him for a good while, now. I'll get my chance, soon enough." Who was she talking to? No other voice could be heard, but Camilla was speaking as if she was in the middle of a conversation. "The fool thinks he's safe with allies around him. It's a shame that he doesn't realize how easily one's allegiance can be shifted."

Takumi. It had to be. Stepping back from the door, Selena stared at Beruka with a grave expression. "I've heard her talking to herself more than once." Beruka explained, walking for a few moments before stopping. "Something's wrong with Lady Camilla. So yes, you shouldn't have been honest with her. Not right now." With that, she continued walking away, leaving Selena alone to contemplate just what was going on.

Azura 

While the man had slept away, Azura had done nothing but fret. There were too many questions swirling around in her head for her to even feel tired, let alone fall asleep. Besides, she had set him in her bed. Nobody had checked in on her, which she felt was a blessing in disguise. She needed to ask this man questions. Questions about who he was, what he was doing in Nohr, and why he had a pendant that looked identical to her own.

The man stirred, his eyes flickering open. It seemed she wouldn't have to wait much longer for answers. Grabbing the knife that had been plunged into his back off the table she'd set it on, she stepped close to him, holding it with both hands. "Don't move. Stay right in that bed, and don't even think about getting up." He was fully awake now, his yellow eyes staring at her. Yellow eyes, just like her own. Blue hair, just like her own. A pendant, just like her own.

"My apologies," the man started to speak. "my job in dispelling that assassin was poor." He felt his back, his eyes widening. "The wound's gone. How…?" He looked back to Azura, her pendant hanging from her neck. "No. No, I told you not to use it. Why did you use it?"

Azura took a hand off the knife to rub her sore throat before moving it back. "You're not the one asking questions. I am." Interrogation was something she had never done before, and she certainly never considered herself an intimidating presence. However, she liked to think that the current situation lent her some extra persuasion. "Who are you?"

No response. Azura took a shaky breath. "If you don't answer my questions, I'll shout for the guards. I'll tell them that you tried to assassinate me, and you'll spend the rest of your short life in a cell before losing your head." It was cruel, threatening a man who clearly cared about her well-being, but she was desperate for answers. "I'll ask you again: who are you?"

"Shigure." The man's voice came out more hushed than it had been before, now carrying the gravity of the situation. "My name is Shigure." He gave no more information than that, indicating that he'd try to hold on to his secrets for even a few precious seconds longer if he could.

"Why are you trying to protect me? Why do you care so much about me not using my pendant?" She gripped the knife tighter, her hands trembling slightly. If push came to shove, she knew she wouldn't be able to attack him, so she continued to hope that her bluff would work.

"I care very much about you staying alive." A hint of worry broke through his cold voice. "Protecting you from assassins, as well as stopping you from using your pendant, are important to me because of this."

"You…you look so much like…" Azura found that she couldn't finish her sentence. It was simply bizarre that he looked so similar to her. There was no doubt that he was related to her, in some way. Was he a brother? A cousin? As far as she had known, she was an only child, and her mother had no siblings. "How are you related to me?" He went quiet, though he continued to stare right at her. "Speak!"

"Don't make me answer that." Shigure had tensed up, his eyes pleading with her. " _Please._ " She wasn't going to get cold feet now. After an agonizing few more seconds of silence, he spoke. "I'm your son."

"If you think lying to me is going to help your case—"

"I'm not lying." Shigure insisted, his expression fully serious. "I'm your son." Azura wasn't sure what to make of that. Either he was a brilliant liar, or something was very, very wrong.

"Prove it." Azura was going to make sure she took everything this man said with a grain of salt. Corrin had taught her how to tell if someone was lying, but her tendency to distrust others came from her experiences as a child. Everybody around her had always been fooling her, and if they weren't, their honesty came in the form of mocking and belittling. A claim like his was absurd enough, but Azura's trust wasn't earned easily by anybody.

Corrin 

How long had they been walking for? Perhaps it just seemed longer for Corrin, whose chest ached something awful, stabbing sharply with every step she took. Those Faceless had certainly broken a few ribs, though she tried not to let it show; it was an issue they'd address later. A million questions were racing through her mind, yet she didn't dare speak, not when she was as enraged as she was.

Forrest, Mozu, and Nina walked behind her, the three of them looking around constantly in case they had been followed. It was more than likely by this point that they had successfully evaded their pursuers, but it paid to be cautious. Gods, thinking of Uncle Shura as a "pursuer" made her skin crawl. Kana walked in front, his gaze unmoving, his movements as quiet as they could be in the heavy snow blanketing the ground.

It didn't take much longer for the pain in her ribs to become unbearable. Combined with her exhaustion, she felt her eyelids grow heavy as she collapsed against a tree, the rest of the group stopping almost immediately. Forrest was shouting something, but she wasn't paying attention. Her mind kept flashing back to Shura, replaying that memory over and over. He had been there to capture her. He had lied to her. Who was he working for? The most likely candidate was Nohr, but he had never been one to take the kingdom's side on anything. Were they blackmailing him? Threatening him?

A possibility crept into her mind, one that made her feel like she was going to wretch. What if Shura had just betrayed her for his own gain? The more she thought about it, the more her anger boiled over, until she let out a roar of anger, sending everyone backing up a few steps. She cursed, slamming her fist against the tree behind her. She cursed again, and again, and again, letting out every expletive she could think of in a vain attempt to let out all of her anger. At one point, she even resorted to simply screaming and shouting until she ran out of air. When she stopped, her heavy breathing made the pain in her chest flare up even more, but now the pain wasn't isolated. She looked down at her hand, realizing that she had kept slamming it against the rough tree bark, slicing open her skin in numerous places and likely spraining her wrist. Blood seeped down her arm, dripping off her elbow and onto the white snow below.

Kana got on one knee, trying to gently grab her arm, but she shoved it away in spite of the immense pain it caused her. "Get the hell away from me!" she shouted, her voice hoarse from the strain in her chest. Kana didn't listen, moving to take her arm once more. Hesitantly, she relented. He held it steady as Forrest grabbed a staff from his pack, casting a minor healing spell. Split apart skin began to close back up while her wrist stopped throbbing in pain. In a short while, the only trace of her self-inflicted injury was the blood that soaked her hand and slid down her arm.

As Forrest moved to her chest, feeling for broken ribs and getting to work mending them, Corrin moved her gaze back to Kana, whose soft gray eyes stared at her, the rest of his face still covered. Before he could pull away, she grabbed the blue cloth covering his lower face and yanked it down, using her other hand to rip the wrapping off the top of his head.

Kana's face was surprisingly boyish, with no visible scars. Slightly tanned skin surrounded his gray eyes, which only seemed to stand out more now that the rest of his face was exposed. His hair was a somewhat darker shade of Corrin's, spiking up in various directions. He had a look that was all too familiar to her, a look of a once innocent boy who was forced to harden himself towards the world. It was the same look she had.

"Well, you're definitely stubborn enough to be my kid." Corrin chuckled weakly, her body still aching. Without anything to cover it, the surprise on Kana's face was fully apparent. He looked over accusingly to Nina and Forrest, the latter of whom simply shrugged indifferently. "Never thought I'd ever have one. What kind of divine revelation made future me change her mind?" It was meant as a joke, but it came out more sarcastically than she had intended.

Kana looked down at the splotch of blood-soaked snow, his face twisted into a grimace. "I…" he was having trouble figuring out what to say next. She had a feeling that if he had his way, she would've never found out who he was. The others quickly took the hint, quietly walking away to give them some space.

"Well? Now's your chance to bare your soul to me." She waved her arms out for emphasis, but ended up gritting her teeth as the pain in her body still lingered. After getting no response, she sighed, taking the initiative in the conversation. "You know, I'm glad they told me who you are earlier. If I had only just now found out, I'd be losing my mind." She glanced back down at the bloody snow. "Well, losing my mind more than I am right now. Just…talk to me, please. If not for your sake, then for mine, because I feel like I'm going crazy right now."

Kana's hesitation was plain as day, but despite this, he took a deep breath and began to speak. "I…thought it'd be best if we interacted as little as possible. If emotions get in the way, we'll be risking the chance to make more mistakes. I can't afford that."

Corrin laughed. "I must've done a pretty awful job raising you if you're so averse to risks. I can't think of a single decision I've made in weeks that wasn't risky. Most of them were pretty stupid, too. That's just how life goes."

"That's not what you believed in." Corrin's smile went away as he said it. "I was told you didn't want to take any risks with me. That's why you...why you left. I was told you did it to keep me safe." Snow had begun to fall once again, peppering itself in their hair.

"Jeez, I really turned into a softie, didn't I?" She let out another chuckle, though it was much drier than the last. "Still, you certainly weren't weighed down by that." A flash of surprise gleamed over Kana's eyes as her smile returned. "I mean, look at you! You took on me and Kagero without breaking a sweat. That blasting powder trick was a total wild card. You've been following me for who knows how long, and I've never been able to figure out how, or even find you. You're talented as all hell."

When she saw his expression soften and his hands begin to shake, she realized what she was saying really had an impact on him. Of course it did, she reminded herself, he was her son. Thinking of that was still utterly bizarre, but she had a feeling she'd get used to it. Softening her voice, she spoke once more. "You've certainly made me proud."

Kana stood up and turned away, his posture rigid. "We should get going. I'll go get the others." He walked away without waiting for permission, leaving Corrin worried she had said something wrong. Running her hand through her hair, she let out a sigh as she wondered just how he was going to handle him.

Siegbert 

Another meaningless gala. That was all Siegbert could think as he and Velouria sat at one of the many tables packing a large hall, quietly watching the event. Of course, as a royal retainer, Siegbert had no choice to go, though Velouria was insistent on coming with him so that he wouldn't have to suffer alone. He reminded himself to spend more time preparing a plan for their wedding, once the war was over. The idea of the war even being able to end was foreign to him; he had been born in one and left for the past while it was still going. However, he was still fairly confident that he would be able to change things for the better.

It was relieving for him to still have Velouria. She meant the world to him, and with things as they currently were, he needed her more than ever. After all, who else would there even be to turn to? Selena and Beruka were gone with Princess Camilla. Soleil had officially resigned. Odin was too busy learning the intricacies of dark magic. Jakob was Jakob, meaning Siegbert couldn't trust him as far as he could throw him. Peri was currently locked in the castle dungeons, screaming her head off until her vocal cords gave out, only for Ganglari to heal them and let her keep screaming. He'd only talked to Effie and Arthur once or twice, so they certainly weren't the kind of people he could turn to. Laslow was…wait, where was Laslow?

As if to answer his question, Laslow sat down across from him, a look of worry on his face. Velouria's ears perked up. "You're panicked." Her senses made it easy to figure a person out, though her terrible grasp of social cues balanced her perception out a fair bit. "Something's wrong. What is it?" As he looked at them, Siegbert realized that he must have run into the hall, judging by his heavy breathing and look of exhaustion.

"Damn it all…" he muttered under his breath. "If Odin wasn't so busy, I'd turn to him. But Soleil vouched for you, so…" He let out a sigh. "She's gone. Soleil's gone." Siegbert and Velouria looked at eachother, then back to him, both replying that they were fully aware of her leaving. "No, you don't understand. She's  _gone._ "

"Be more specific, Laslow." Worry started to creep its way into his mind as he wondered what Laslow could be talking about.

The retainer took a breath to calm himself before continuing. "A few nights ago, she approached me. She told me what she told you. However, she wanted me to come with her. She told me she wasn't going to leave for a few days, and that I could spend that time deciding. Well, the next day I headed to her quarters to inform her of my decision, but they were empty. Completely and utterly barren. It was as if she was never there in the first place."

"So what you're saying is that she left early." Siegbert was unimpressed. Was this really what all the fuss was about? "I don't see what the problem is."

Laslow groaned in frustration, running his hand through his hair. "You don't understand, she  _wanted_  me to come with her. She wanted it more than anything, I could tell. Why would she just pack up and go not even a day after telling me?" He had a point there. Soleil was always an emotional girl, so unless she had a very good reason to leave early, she certainly wouldn't have. "I asked around, and nobody saw her leave. No one. Well, that is, no one save for Iago." Just hearing his name made Siegbert frown. That slithering worm of a man was always up to something awful. "He told me that he watched her leave, that she was in a hurry to go. A hurry. It doesn't add up."

"Alright, so the events don't line up. What's your point?" It was certainly a suspicious series of events, but he knew better than to act on suspicion alone. He needed to hear some kind of conclusion, some sort of reason as to why it had happened.

Laslow was happy to provide one. "I've got two theories. The first is that something spooked her enough to leave early. Perhaps there was some sort of danger she needed to get away from, or maybe there was something outside of Krakenburg she needed to get to as soon as possible." If that were the case, it would certainly be worth looking into. "My second theory is that she never left. Prince Leo almost certainly has informed his father of who you three really are, and if that's the case, he certainly wouldn't want one of you simply leaving. You'd be too valuable for that."

Velouria bit her lip. "So either Soleil's running towards or away from something very important…"

Siegbert's gaze narrowed. "…Or she's been taken captive, and Iago's involved somehow. Both seem equally likely. Soleil always did get spooked easily, but Iago certainly wouldn't let her leave if they knew about—" He bit his tongue before he could finish, but it was too late to stop Laslow's curiosity from being piqued.

"If they knew about what?" Laslow asked cautiously. "What would they know about that would make them kidnap her?" Siegbert and Velouria looked at eachother, their eyes asking the same question.  _Should we tell him?_  Eventually, Siegbert decided on an answer.

"If they knew about her parents. Not just you, but her…mother, as well." The look of surprise on Laslow's face made his thoughts plain as day. "But there's no possible way they could have found out. When we went to the past, that secret became something only the three of us knew. Even then, our lips are sealed. Soleil forbade us to tell anybody who she was, ever. Even when she was at her most intoxicated, she'd never even give someone a hint. She only told us because of how much she trusted us."

There was a pause as Laslow soaked in the information he had been given. "I assume you aren't going to tell me who she is, then?"

Siegbert and Velouria shook their heads. "As I said, our lips are sealed. Telling you, or anyone for that matter, is dangerous." Laslow was visibly angered by this, but he didn't take it out on them.

"Fine, then." He let out a long sigh, running his hand through his hair again. "If you aren't going to tell me, then you can at least help me figure out what happened to her. See if you can figure out what might have made her leave in such a hurry, if she even did leave at all. I'll keep asking around in case I can learn anything more. I've still got a few favors I can cash in. Hopefully, they'll pay off." He paused, biting his lip. "Hopefully there's nothing to even worry about. Hopefully, she really did just leave early." His eyes met Siegbert's. "I'm trusting you with this. Don't let me down."

Hearing that was, to Siegbert, rather insulting. "Soleil's our friend, in case you forgot. We care about her safety just as much as you do." Velouria nodded along with him. "We'll see what we can find out. You said you trust Odin?" Laslow nodded. "Let him know what's going on if you get the chance. We need as many trustworthy people looking into this as we can, and there aren't many out there."

Laslow nodded once more. "Right. I suppose I'd better pretend to enjoy the gala. I've got to keep up appearances, after all." He moved to get up before stopping, looking back at them. "Thank you. Truly." With that, he walked off, putting on a smile with a frightening lack of effort. Siegbert couldn't help but wonder how many of Soleil's smiles were fake, too.


	32. Fresh Air

Corrin

The sun shined down brilliantly on Corrin, forcing her to rest her hand on her brow to block it out. As she did, she noticed a familiar face a little way away from her, prompting her to run over to them. One figure turned into two, and then three, and before long, her entire family was standing in front of her. Mikoto, the mother who loved her even when she didn't. Ryoma, the older sibling who trusted her no matter what she did. Takumi, who reminded her a bit too much of herself. Hinoka, who never stopped worrying about her. Sakura—

Wait. Sakura? Corrin looked down at the young girl, her soft pink hair blowing gently in the warm breeze, her soft eyes looking right back up at her, her warm smile. This moment was nothing short of perfect. Her and her family, here, in the midst of a cool summer's day. They were happy.

Corrin felt like she wanted to throw up. The world seemed to turn upside down, her sudden dizziness sending her onto the ground. Looking up, she saw Sakura holding a hand out for her. No, this wasn't right, she wasn't supposed to be here. She slapped her younger sister's hand away, trying to back away from her while standing up. Sakura just kept smiling that innocent smile, her eyes never leaving Corrin's.

This was wrong. This was wrong, this wasn't how things were, this was  _wrong._  Her breathing went quick and heavy, her lungs feeling like they were about to burst. Even as she was finally on her feet, she felt like she was about to collapse again. Sakura took a step towards her. Then, another one. Why was she here? How was she here? What was…what was happening? That cool summer breeze kept hitting her, but it felt too strong, too heavy. The sun was so bright, beating down on her like the heat from a furnace. Sakura's smile widened, still just as sickeningly sweet. Then, she spoke.

"It's not your fault, Corrin."

Corrin shot up from her bed, drenched in sweat, her chest heaving in and out. She sat like that for a few moments, trying to reorient herself as proper conscious thought returned to her. It was a dream. Just that, nothing more.

Then again, it wasn't just a dream. It was  _the_  dream, the one that seemed to haunt her every night since the gala at Shirasagi. Sometimes it varied; occasionally the weather would change, or someone would be wearing something different, or she would see different people there, but  _she_  was always there, and  _she_  always said the exact same thing.

Getting out of bed, Corrin decided to leave the inn and take a midnight stroll in an attempt to clear her mind. The front room, a modestly sized tavern, was empty save for one of the innkeepers sitting behind a desk, and Kana, sitting at one of the tables, gazing out of the front window. His attention turned to her once she made her way for the door. She stopped.

"You  _do_  sleep, right?" She asked, half-sarcastically. Kana didn't respond, sitting up. "Whatever. Don't worry, I'm not gonna go do anything crazy. Just wanna get some fresh air." Opening the door, she stopped, glancing back to him. Perhaps it would be best to invite him with her. He was her son, after all, and it would probably be a good idea to get to know him better. "You wanna come with?" Kana seemed surprised by this, nodding and following her out.

The town of Lumen certainly had quite the nightlife. Most stores were still open, lanterns illuminating the cobbled streets, guiding the way of any who wished to partake in it. For the most part, businesses that were open during the day remained so during the night, though there were a few that solely operated under the moonlight. Those were the kind of businesses Corrin was looking for.

As the two of them walked down the streets, Corrin took the opportunity to gain some information. "That girl, the one with the Faceless. Do you know who she is?"

Kana nodded. "Rhajat. She came from the future, like us. None of us trusted her from the beginning, but her…talents, made her invaluable." Corrin turned, walking into one of the shops, a humble cottage whose first floor was converted into a medicine store.

Giving a fake smile, Corrin began talking to the shopkeeper, a pleasant-looking woman with hazel eyes. "You wouldn't happen to have any vulneraries, would you? I'm a bit low on stock." The woman nodded, grabbing a few from a nearby shelf. "Thank you. Oh, and I'll need something for burns. You never know when you might get caught in a fire."

The woman blinked. "Oh? Not often anyone asks for that kind of medicine. What kind of fires are you talking about?"

Corrin's smile faded. "The kind that nobody can put out." There was a brief moment of silence before the shopkeeper nodded.

"Ah, yes, I have just the thing. I'll have to grab it from my storage, however. I'll be just a moment." With that, she was gone. That confirmed to Corrin that she was in the right place. She turned to Kana, asking him to continue. He was clearly confused, but cast it aside, returning to his story.

"Rhajat has a certain skill in magic. More specifically, summoning Faceless. Nobody's quite sure how, but she doesn't need any kind of tome or scroll to accomplish the feat. She simply wills it into being. You saw her, too, so you know she wasn't tired by the act either. Usually summoning Faceless is challenging for mages who haven't devoted most of their magical study to that specific talent, but in her case, there doesn't seem to be any limit. It makes her useful, and dangerous."

Corrin nodded, gazing around at the various medicines. "I assume she had ulterior motives? She doesn't seem like the kind of girl who would travel back in time because of a desire to save the world."

"Of course she did. It was only once we were in the process of traversing the Deeprealms that she revealed her only desire." Kana's eyes looked towards her, his gaze sharp. "She was looking for you. She has an…obsession with you, for some reason. She couldn't find you in our time, so she assumed you had died. She must have somehow discovered our plan to venture back in time, knowing that she could use it to find you again."

A chuckle left Corrin's lips. "Great, an admirer. I love attention." The sarcasm didn't go unnoticed by Kana, who let out a livelier chuckle than she was used to.

"You were always quite the attention hog." The comment left Corrin with a hint of a blush on her face, letting out a low grumble. "Those things you said to that shopkeeper…this isn't a normal shopping trip, is it?"

Twirling a few strands of hair around her finger, she shrugged. "It was gonna be. I just decided to get some work done while I was in the area." Her eyes darted around the room, making sure that they were still alone. "We need to get to Krakenburg quickly and quietly. To do that, we're gonna need help. There's a smuggling operation that specializes in unorthodox offers. I recognized that this place was one of theirs and gave them the word that I'm looking to employ their services."

"How, exactly, are we going to pay for their 'services' when we don't have any funds? All of the treasures you got from Shirasagi are back at that ruined village, and odds are those two already got their hands on it." The reminder of Corrin's failure was like a barb to her chest, but she shook it off, trying to stay as positive as she could.

"Don't you worry about that. I'll figure something out." She had no ideas. Something would come to her eventually. Probably. Hopefully. As she began to think about possible solutions to this dilemma, someone new emerged from the back of the store.

"Well, I'll be damned. Never thought I'd see your face again." The man spoke with a gruff, weathered voice. His appearance matched his voice, though it was clear that he wasn't too aged just yet. He flashed a grin that almost drew Corrin's eyes away from the scar running over the bridge of his nose. "How's Niles been doing?"

"He's been fine, Fenn. You, meanwhile, look like you've spent a few days in hell." Corrin's comment drew out a hearty laugh from the man. Her eyes moved down to the serrated sword hanging from his belt. "New sword? It's nice. Where'd you get it?"

"I was supposed to smuggle it, but the recipient must've gotten cold feet, 'cause he never showed. I decided I might as well keep it." Fenn maintained his grin, but his eyes had a much more serious look to them. "So, why're you here? I know you've got a better reason than just catching up with an old friend."

Holding up her hands jokingly, Corrin flashed a grin of her own. "You got me. I'd like to request your services to get me and a few friends of mine to Windmire as fast as you can. Think you can handle it?"

His grin still unfaltering, Fenn nodded. "Of course. So long as you can pay."

Nina

A rather pleasant dream was rudely interrupted by Nina's double shaking her awake. "Nina. Nina, wake up." Groaning as her droopy eyes slowly opened, she flashed Vara a death glare.

"You'd better have a good reason for waking me up." Nina warned, sitting up in her bed as Vara stepped back, looking genuinely worried. Seeing this, she realized that there might actually be a good reason.

"I heard some noises and went to go check it out. It was Corrin and Kana, leaving the inn. Since I had nothing better to do, I went to go follow them." Hearing this, Nina's eyes narrowed. "Okay, I was spying on them. C'mon, nothing would've come of it if they didn't do anything strange!"

"They did something strange?"

"Yeah. Apparently, they're gonna get us smuggled over to Krakenburg. Not a bad plan, actually. The problem is with who they're using to smuggle us." An image flashed in Nina's mind, no doubt placed there by Vara. A man with a scar over the bridge of his nose and a serrated blade. A pit formed in her stomach. He was younger, but there was no mistaking him. That was the man who had murdered her father.

"What…" Nina took a breath, trying to process the information. "What do we do?" They couldn't trust him, there was no way that they could trust him.

"It's simple, isn't it?" Vara asked, her tone shifting to a low, almost monotone pitch. "We kill him."

Nyx

Niles looked like shit. His scruffy stubble was in the process of becoming an actual beard, his hair was greasy and disheveled, and he smelled like death. Yet, despite all of this, it didn't seem to affect his personality much. He smiled at Nyx from the other side of the bars of his cell, sitting on the floor and leaning back against the wall. "I'm guessing you're not here to break me out?"

Nyx's face was unmoving. "I cut a deal with someone high up. Someone who trusts me. As a result, I've been granted a decent level of autonomy, and all I have to do is train a rather embarrassing young man how to better harness dark magic. Though, I suppose I shouldn't speak ill of him; his connections are why I'm talking to you. I'll have to thank him."

Scoffing, Niles adjusted his weight so that he was now hunched over, setting his hands on his kneecaps. "You, saying thank you? That's the funniest joke I've heard in a while." If she hadn't already heard that insult dozens of times over her life, she may have actually been hurt. "I hope you haven't had too much trouble. Clearly, your role is taking quite the toll on you." Another sarcastic remark. Her patience was running thin.

"Forget about me. How have you been holding up?" Though that was the question she asked, the meaning behind it was clear.  _Have you told them anything?_

"Yes, I've told them every single secret of ours. Now they know all of our eating habits, top five novels, and favorite colors." Niles's continued snark almost made Nyx visibly roll her eyes, but she resisted the urge. "If you actually do care about how I'm doing, then you'll be pleased to know that this is one of the less unbearable prison cells I've been in. They feed me once a day, I've yet to be tortured, and there's only one person I can hear. Means there's actual silence whenever she's not blubbering and whimpering like an injured puppy." Nyx paused, listening for any sobbing, but didn't catch any. This was where they put the important, dangerous prisoners; why would someone like that be down here?

"I'm glad to hear it." Nyx closed her eyes. "You'll have to continue enduring it. I'm working on a plan, but it's in its early stages. Krakenburg's upped its security since I was last here."

"Yeah yeah, I get it. Just don't leave me here for too long. My dashingly good looks can only survive so long down here." Finally, Niles managed to make her groan in annoyance, earning him a look of satisfaction. She wasted no more time, turning on her heel and walking away from his cell.

Nyx made her way through the dungeons, finding herself becoming a bit turned around by how complicated its interior was, no doubt an intentional design meant to confuse any prisoners attempting to escape. Eventually she was able to get a bearing on where she was, though that wasn't before finding herself nearby the most secure cell in the dungeon. She knew who was in it. As she moved to walk past the hallway leading into it, she saw somebody out of the corner of her eye. It was her intention to make sure as few people knew about her little trip as possible, so she quickly ducked behind a wall, peeking around the corner to get a good look.

His back was turned to her, but that didn't stop her from immediately recognizing him as Prince Xander. Eyebrows furrowing, she let her curiosity get the better of her and stuck around, watching him. He was talking to the prisoner through the thick steel door that separated the two of them. "I never wanted this for you, Peri. You know that."

A raspy voice shouted back, filled with a rage that Nyx didn't often hear. "Did you think you could give me anything better!? What, did you think you could fix me? Heal me? What a joke! I even…" Peri's voice trailed off for a moment. "I even believed you, for a while. But now, I have Ganglari. I feel more alive, I feel happier than ever. Happy in a way you never made me!"

Xander's face was obscured, but the devastation upon hearing that was obvious to Nyx. "I'm…sorry, Peri." Seeing this as her chance to slip by unnoticed, she dashed past the doorway as quickly and silently as she could, tucking away the information she learned from that conversation. She quickened her pace, wanting to get back to her study before Odin arrived. The last thing she needed was that fool mucking up her research due to his incessant curiosity and pure stupidity.

Azura

She had a son. The idea of it still bewildered her every time she thought of it, but there was no denying that Shigure had provided ample evidence to support his claim. Despite her hesitation, she ended up letting him leave, not telling anybody what had happened that night. He promised he would continue to watch out for her. It all had happened so fast, and she had spent the past few days trying to wrap her head around it all.

Even as she sat at a large dinner table, nobles around her and Lilly across from her, she still couldn't fully take her mind off it. Still, she tried to put it in the back of her mind for the time being and focus on the conversations around her. She needed to make as many friends as she could. That was why Lilly had even invited her to this dinner party in the first place.

One of the noblemen was in the midst of a conversation about current tax policies. "I mean, it's absurd that they think they can simply take whatever they'd like from us! We worked hard for our wealth; it's not our fault that those below us were too lazy to put in the same amount of effort."

A sister of Azura's whose name she had forgotten responded. "I certainly agree, though if you ask me, it's almost certainly a temporary measure. I've heard they're only doing this to support the war effort. Once Hoshido is conquered, then their lot will have to finally share a bit of their easily-earned splendor. Taxes will certainly lower then."

Azura began to tune out of the conversation once again, her mind drifting back to Shigure. He had told her that he didn't want her using the power of her pendant unless it was unavoidable. Why was he so insistent on her not using it? Her only decent assumption was that something awful must have happened in the future due to her use of it.

What, then? There were a few possibilities, but one kept returning to her mind. She had died while using it. It was the most likely scenario, but thinking of her own death was nothing short of deeply unsettling. What could have driven her to use so much of the pendant's power that she would perish in the process? Was it even possible to reach that point?

"Azura?" Lilly's gentle voice snapped her out of her thoughts and keyed her into the fact that there were a few pairs of eyes on her. "You spent time in Hoshido. How was their economy?" Of course, the conversation was bound to turn to her at some point. How could it not? She was the long-lost princess, returning from the exotic land of Hoshido in the middle of a war.

"Ah, well…" Azura tried to collect her thoughts as quickly as she could. "It was fairly stable. There was poverty, as there will be in any nation, and organized crime was somewhat of a problem. Still, for the most part, the nation was economically sound."

A noblewoman sighed, shaking her head. "Such a waste. And people ask me why I don't think there are any gods. If there were, they wouldn't have let those Hoshidan savages obtain so much splendor." There were a surprising number of nods in agreement. "We work day and night for what little we can get, while they bask in their wealth without having to do so much as lifting a finger." Azura wanted to tell them that they were wrong, that people in Hoshido worked just as hard for what they had, but she bit her tongue. Trying to distract herself, she tried to cut into the steak on her plate, sliding her knife back and forth through the tough meat.

"And what savages they are." Another man chimed in agreement. "I've heard some of their soldiers have a practice where they kill themselves to avoid capture by the enemy. They're so spoiled that they'll even throw their lives away without a care in the world." The disgust in his voice was tangible.

"I've heard their nobility partake in abhorrent rituals." An older woman spoke, infuriating Azura further with her blatant lies. "Surely Azura can confirm this, can't she? She lived with them, after all." She kept cutting her steak, her hands beginning to tremble. "Once, I heard a rumor that their youngest princess would use animal blood as makeup. I suppose it's fitting that her end was equally bloody, wasn't it?"

A loud, sharp screeching sound abruptly ended the conversation as all eyes turned to Azura. She blinked, realizing she had cut right through the steak and against the plate, leaving a harsh scratch mark against it. Looking up from the plate, she cleared her throat nervously. "I-I should be on my way. Thank you, Lilly, for the delicious meal, and the delightful company." She didn't wait a moment longer, getting up from her chair and leaving the room as fast as she could without running.

As she walked through the large halls of Lilly's estate, the girl's voice soon called out to her. "Azura?" She kept walking, trying not to turn her head around to face her. "Azura, stop." She took a deep breath, clenching her fists tight in an attempt to stop their shaking. "Azura!"

Turning around, Azura shouted back. "What!?" She stopped, seeing the concern visible on her sister's face. Lilly quickly closed the gap, looking her in the eyes.

"You can't do that. You cannot just walk out on everyone like that. I can guarantee you that you've made no friends tonight." Lilly was right, but Azura found it hard to care.

"The things they said—"

Lilly interrupted her. "The things they said were awful. I'm in full agreement with you. Do you think they care? Do you think that you're doing yourself any favors by acting like that? The fact of the matter is that you can not simply act how you wish to. You have to put on your mask, just like everybody else does, because that's how you  _survive_  here."

Azura didn't have anything to say to that. She couldn't think of a response, because she knew that her sister was entirely right. She hated that she was right, but that didn't change that she still was. "Thank you, Lilly. But…I really must be going." With that, she turned around and continued walking away. Lilly didn't follow her.

Riding in a horse-drawn carriage with a guard sitting across from her was one of the less comfortable experiences in her life. Every little bump could be easily felt, and she had no control over it, like she would when actually riding a horse. Not to mention, the guard would never say anything to her.

Eventually, in a desperate attempt to break the silence, Azura spoke to the guard. "What's your name?" He didn't say anything, instead tightening his grip on his lance. "It's alright to talk to me. I won't bite." She chuckled while saying that, though it was clear that the guard didn't find any of it very funny.

Eventually, the guard spoke. "Kannan." His voice was surprisingly soft, though she supposed she couldn't really tell what he looked like under all his armor. For all she knew, he could have a face to match the voice.

"It's a pleasure to know your name, Kannan." The guard's grip on his spear had loosened a bit, though he was still quite visibly nervous. "No need to be so tense." She paused, then tried to move the conversation along. "How long have you been working as a royal guard?"

There was a less significant pause this time. "Five years."

"Five years! That's quite a while."

He shook his head. "It's no significant stretch of time for a guard. Some here have been serving the crown for decades. I'm still fresh, all things considered."

"Well, I wouldn't believe it if you hadn't told me." The compliment seemed to affect him, though she couldn't quite tell.

"Thank you. In truth, I—"

Before he could finish, there was a deep rumbling from outside of the carriage, and in a split second, the carriage had turned over, wood splintering and flying all about. There was a moment where friction and gravity sent Azura's body flying. Then, the moment had passed, and she roughly hit the ground, head-first. Gasping, both for breath and from the sharp pain surging through her skull, Azura tried to pick herself up from the ground.

She wasn't on the ground; she was on the ceiling. The carriage had been flipped upside-down. She could vaguely hear a distressed neighing from the horses before it faded into nothing. Bringing a hand to the throbbing spot on her head, she brought it down to see that it now had blood smeared across its palm. Looking to her side, she saw Kannan, silent and unmoving. "Kannan." She spoke, receiving no response. "Kannan!" Still silence. She crawled over to him, removing his helmet to see a young face, eyes wide open and unmoving.

Grabbing the man's spear, Azura stood up as much as she could, kicking the carriage door in front of her. It didn't budge. She gave it another kick, still getting nothing. Finally, she rammed herself against it shoulder-first, slamming it open. She wasted no time in crawling out, hitting the cobbled street below her, slick with rain and mud.

The first thing she noticed upon getting out of the carriage was the flames. They were a few dozen feet behind her, quickly being snuffed out by the downpour, but they were there, nonetheless. The low rumbling, the force required to knock the carriage onto its back, the roaring flames, they all pointed to one thing: explosives.

A man's hand grabbed the back of her collar, hoisting her up to her feet. "Hey, boss! She's still alive!" The man called out. Footsteps could be heard approaching her from behind. A woman spoke.

"Then why haven't you killed her, you dunce?" She asked as the man yanked Azura around to face them. The woman was surprisingly large, with a stocky build that lent her an intimidating presence.

"Uh, I dunno. I thought you'd wanna decide what to do with her."

"We don't 'decide' what to do with her. We kill her, plain and simple." The woman sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. A few goons stood behind her, all armed with weapons. She walked up to Azura, yanking the spear out of her hands. "Sorry about this, your highness, but we've got a job to do. No hard feelings, I can assure you."

Assassins. Somebody was already trying to kill her again. Was it the same person who sent the last one? It had to be somebody important, somebody who would've known the path her carriage would take to Krakenburg, somebody with the money to afford explosives and multiple people. She tried to forget about that for the time being and instead focus on surviving.

She had no other options. Shigure had told her not to use her pendant, but right now she couldn't afford to wait for a better opportunity to present itself. So, with a shaky voice, she began to sing. The assassins stood there, confused. The woman in charge of them scoffed. "That's how you're gonna say your peace? Eh, no skin off my back I suppose."

It was only a few seconds later that the woman began to cough. It was clear that it was no ordinary cough when she brought a hand to her chest, her breathing growing unsteady. The next cough sent specks of blood flying onto the ground. The one after that left her unbalanced, and one more cough sent her to her knees. The rest of them soon found themselves in the same position, all hacking up blood with raspy, desperate coughs. "W-what did—" She was interrupted by another cough. Gripping her chest tightly, her breathing grew unsteady, wheezing in and out. She tried to say something else, but all that came out was an agonized gargle. Then, she and the rest of the men around her fell to the ground, dead.

The man behind Azura had let go of her by this point, and so she quickly grabbed her spear from the woman's corpse, grabbing it as she stopped singing, turning to face the man. He was still alive, coughing up blood but significantly healthier than the others. His eyes were wide with terror as he tried to back away from her, ending up with his back pressed against the ruined carriage. "W-wait! Wait, please, don't hurt me! I'll tell you anything you know, a-anything!"

She held the spear's tip inches away from his throat, speaking despite her already pained throat. "Who hired you?" He didn't say anything, instead quietly whimpering. "Tell me!" Moving the spear closer to his neck, he cried out in terror.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you! H-he didn't tell us his name, he just gave us the explosives and the money! I know what he looked like, though! H-he was old, and was wearing these nice clothes. Must've been some rich guy or something. A-and he had this long scar that ran down his eye. Y-you couldn't miss it!" Azura tried to think of who that could be. Had she met anyone who looked like that? At first, nobody came to mind, but then the memory hit her. Lilly's retainer, Gunter. He had tried to kill her? Why would he…no, Lilly wouldn't have done this. Was he acting independently? Working for somebody else? Her head was spinning, and the man's sobbing wasn't helping "P-please, just lemme go! I swear, I'll never do anything like this again! I-I'll go straight, I'll stop doing this, I won't hurt anybody again! Just please let me go!"

Azura was ready to do just that. There was no reason to kill him; with how weak and scared he was, he posed no threat. Then, her gaze drifted down to the open carriage door, showing Kannan's corpse within. He had done this. He had murdered the man with her, and the soldier driving the carriage. As if by instinct, Azura lunged, the spear embedding itself into the man's throat. He let out a choked gurgle and then went limp.

Azura dropped the spear, the adrenaline in her body fading away and reminding herself of the pain and dizziness she was feeling. She slumped against the side of the carriage, sitting on the ground as the downpour continued, washing the blood from her wound down onto her face.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when Lilly found her. The girl shouted something, rushing to Azura and putting her hands on her shoulders, shaking her. Looking up from the ground, she saw Lilly's panicked face still shouting something to her. Whatever it was, she didn't care. Lilly stood her up and started walking with her, presumably to safety.

Was she safe with Lilly? Had Gunter truly been acting alone, or had the girl ordered him to do it? Why would Lilly even want to hurt her, let alone kill her? This was her childhood friend, the one person who looked out for her, who cared for her. Why would she do something like this?

Azura stopped thinking about it. She didn't care. She just wanted to rest, to sleep, to get away from all of this, even for a moment. By the time she was sat down in another carriage, she was already fast asleep.


	33. Rethink Things

Midori

Archduke Izana was a bizarre man. This wasn't exactly a lesser-known fact; the man was infamous for his numerous decadent parties, strange sense of interior design, and odd fascination for hot springs. Yet, despite this strangeness, Midori would have at least expected the man to have a somewhat organized records room. He did not.

"Why are the records on spruce trees right next to the records on Pegasus grooming techniques!?" She shouted in frustration, almost throwing some of the records to the ground. She could afford to scream, since the numerous cobwebs and thick layers upon layers of dust in the records room made it clear that it rarely was used. Asugi had figured out the routine for the clerk managing the records, so she knew they still had plenty of time before he would return.

Speaking of Asugi, he seemed content with doing absolutely nothing, instead lazily resting on the ground, pressing his feet against the wall. "You don't have to scream every time something doesn't make sense, Doc. You'll tear your lungs out at this rate."

"I'd be screaming far less often if you were actually helping me rather than taking naps!" Sighing in defeat, she put the records back where they belonged. This whole room was a mess. Shelves upon shelves of various records of just about every facet of Izumo's history. Agriculture, botany, cooking, all the way to zeitgeists. The trade records alone took up more space than she would have ever imagined was even possible. The problem was that they were organized in no discernable manner. They weren't sorted alphabetically, chronologically, categorically, or by any other method that she could think of. This meant that finding records on Severa, if they even existed, was nigh impossible.

"I've been telling you that this whole thing is a lost cause. I wanna rescue Dwyer just as much as you do, but this clearly isn't gonna work." Pushing his feet off the wall, Asugi used the force to roll backward and spring up onto his feet. "If you wanna keep pulling your hair out, be my guest."

"If you wanna keep doing nothing, at least leave me alone. Some peace and quiet might be just what I need to think."

"No can do, cousin. I've still gotta make sure you don't get too lost in your enthralling work to avoid getting caught." Asugi rubbed his temples, groaning in annoyance. "If only Kiragi hadn't run off. Then, I could've just let him keep an eye on you."

Midori scoffed at that as she continued to look through records. "I think I'd rather let King Garon protect me. Kiragi's nice, don't get me wrong, but he's not exactly the kind of person who you can trust. Remember when he first showed up?"

That elicited a chuckle out of Asugi, who had begun pacing around the room. "How could I forget? Appearing out of nowhere, ambushing us, then laughing like a kid playing tag when we pinned him down. I wouldn't have believed he was Takumi's kid if he wasn't his spitting image."

"I'm still not entirely convinced." Midori admitted. "Still, he's definitely lived up to his dad. Honestly, I get jealous whenever I see him use a bow. I could never be as talented as him."

Approaching her, Asugi smirked. "Nah, you've got talent in other places." Much to her annoyance, he poked her forehead. "Like here." His smirk only grew wider as her face flushed bright red from embarrassment.

"I'm not that smart…" she murmured abashedly. "Dwyer's way smarter than me, anyways." Asugi didn't seem particularly pleased at her humbleness.

"Yeah, he is way smarter than you. He's also way older than you, dummy." He poked her forehead again for emphasis. "You've still got room to grow, which means you're gonna be Dwyer-levels of smart when you're his age." She still wasn't convinced, and by the look on his face, he could tell. "Alright, that's it. Scram."

Midori blinked. "Huh?"

"You heard me. Get out of here. You are gonna have the rest of the day off. I'll stay here and look through these records for you."

She blinked again. "Wait, you're serious? Asugi, I can't just leave now, I've got—"

Asugi didn't let her finish, interrupting her. "What you've got is too much on your plate. You need to relax, and I need to actually accomplish something today. So go on, do something else. Explore the city, crochet, do something." With that, he set a hand on her shoulder and guided her to the door, despite her protests. Before she could continue insisting that she should continue working, she was pushed out of the room, with the door shutting behind her.

Midori stood there in disbelief. "Did he just…" Going over her options, she realized that just doing what he wanted would be the best. Otherwise, they'd spend the whole day fighting about it and then nothing would get done. "Fine, Asugi, you win."

As it turned out, just because she wasn't working, didn't mean she wasn't busy. Just like when she had bought those peaches, the streets of Izumo were bustling with all sorts of people. To her left, a fruit stand. To her right, a blacksmith. Ahead, she spotted a few street performers putting on some kind of show. She walked past them all, uninterested in spending any time on something she didn't need. Instead, she looked for people who seemed knowledgeable about the city and asked them if they knew anyone named Severa. It was a desperate tactic, but what other options did she really have?

Of course, nobody knew who Midori was talking about. If anything, she was more surprised that there weren't any cases of mistaken identity. Was that name really so rare? Sure, she had never heard it herself, but she had assumed it was more western in origin. However, even in a place as culturally diverse as Izumo, nobody knew about it. She groaned in annoyance, wondering why Dwyer couldn't have been more detailed in his explanation of what they needed to do.

Before she could ponder any more on the subject, she spotted a familiar face walking through the crowd. She almost called out to Kiragi, but bit her tongue, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention to herself. Instead, she began pushing through the crowd, following after him, almost losing sight of him a few times in the process. Finally, he ducked into an alleyway, allowing her to more easily reach him. She opened her mouth, ready to make her presence known.

Then, Midori realized that Kiragi wasn't alone in the alleyway. She ducked behind a portion of one of the buildings that partially jutted out into the alleyway, peeking her head over just enough to get a good look. At first, she couldn't quite place who the woman with him was. Then, it hit her; she was the woman she had run into the other day!

The blue-haired woman spoke, her voice flat and monotone. "Will the plan still work? Kiragi nodded. "You're sure that there won't be anybody missing? All of your group will be in Castle Izumo?"

Once again, Kiragi gave a nod. "None of them have anywhere to go. They'll all be within close proximity of eachother. You won't have to worry about any stragglers."

The woman took a moment to think before nodding. "Very well. I'll inform Lady Camilla at once." Midori covered her mouth to hide the sound of her quickened breath, her mind racing. Kiragi was giving away information to Princess Camilla? It must have been for some kind of attack. An assassination, or a kidnapping, perhaps. She couldn't figure out why he was so willingly helping them.

Kiragi shifted uncomfortably in place. "You won't hurt any of them, right?" Her gaze sharpening, the woman stared at him. "I-I know you've given me your word already, but…I just wanna hear it once more. Please." He brought his hand up to his bandana, wrapping part of it nervously around his finger. That was when Midori realized why he was doing this. Wrapped around the woman's neck and draped over her collarbones was a bandanna of her own. Newer, less ragged, but identical in look to Kiragi's. Gods, was this woman—

A tap on Midori's shoulder sent her spinning around to face a red-haired woman behind her. The woman gave a dangerous, almost predatory smirk, as if she had just cornered her prey. "I believe our friends over there were having a private chat. It's rude to snoop, you know." Grabbing Midori's arm, the woman began to lead her deeper into the alleyway, alerting the others to their presence. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt ya, so long as you don't try anything." Kiragi looked at her, eyes wide, opening his mouth to say something. Whatever it was, the words never left his lips. "Now, let's get you two squirts someplace where you won't cause any trouble."

Leo

As it turned out, spending the day with Elise was an exhausting affair. Leo thought that nothing could be worse than long treks through wilderness, or tirelessly researching some obscure facet of magic, or, worst of all, political meetings. Still, his little sister managed to prove him wrong, leading him to and fro, seemingly for no reason other than sheer impulse. He sometimes wondered how her retainers managed to keep up.

Seeing Elise happy made the whole ordeal worth it. So, he continued to follow her around until the sun had set and she had headed to her bedroom for the night. With some free time on his hands before he needed to sleep, he headed to the study of that dark mage Iago had insisted could teach Odin more about dark magic. Naturally, Leo didn't trust her at all, but he hadn't found any time to delve further into the issue until now.

Out of common courtesy, Leo knocked on the door to the girl's study. "Enter." She called out from inside. Stepping in, he almost immediately tripped over a pile of books, haphazardly stacked and on the verge of crashing down. It didn't take long for him to spot similar stacks of books scattered across the room, with a massive pile in the center. So much for shelving. Nyx was currently situated at a desk, reading some sort of historical text as the wax of the candle next to it waned down, nearly spent. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence, Prince Leo?" Her tone lacked any of the pleasure she claimed to be feeling.

"I'm merely checking on how my retainer has progressed in his lessons. What's your analysis?"

Nyx chuckled, still looking at her book. "He's a young man with great potential for magic. Must have been inherited. He claims his father was gifted with magic as well. His problem lays not in his talent, but in his understanding. He simply does not understand even the most fundamental aspects of dark magic. I'd be impressed that he can use it at all if I wasn't terrified that any spell he cast could go wrong and drain every ounce of life out of him." She paused, putting a thumb to her chin. "Or explode. That's likely as well."

Nodding, Leo spoke. "I was aware of his lack of understanding. Though, I believed he had enough control to avoid such an event. What leads you to think otherwise?" Iago had insisted that she was more proficient in magic than either of them. Even though humbleness was certainly a rare expression from the man, Leo still wasn't fully convinced. Still, he could tell there was much more to her than first appearances would suggest. Her age, for one.

"He's far too brash. Every spell is accompanied by some ridiculous pose or an ear-splitting battle cry. All of that posturing and grandstanding only leaves him open to be consumed by the magic he's employing. It's a small miracle that he's lived as long as he has. I've taken the liberty of reeducating him. Progress is slow, but it's still happening, which is yet another miracle."

"Well, I must thank you for that. I certainly wouldn't want one of my retainers to spontaneously combust." Leo paused, waiting to see if Nyx would say anything else on the matter. She seemingly had nothing more to say, and so he turned and headed for the door. As he did, she finally spoke up.

"It's a shame, what happened to Princess Azura. Wouldn't you agree?" Leo spun around in an instant, finding Nyx having closed her book, now facing him. "Nearly assassinated in the streets like a dog, forced to kill half a dozen assailants to stay alive…I doubt that memory will ever leave her. What has me curious is that she never arrived back at Krakenburg. Where might she be, I wonder?"

Of course the rumors had already spread. Frankly, he was just glad that Azura was still safe, albeit deeply shaken. He had received word from Lilly that Azura would be staying in her estate for the time being. Lilly may have been a manipulative viper for as long as he could remember, but he also knew that she cared for Azura more than most. Her estate would hopefully provide some sort of haven for Azura until the whole ordeal was dealt with. He had decided not to inform Elise, wanting to keep her from worrying.

"I'd imagine that's none of your business, is it?" Leo replied, his tone growing sharper. "Your job is to tutor my retainer, not to snoop around in the affairs of others. I'd be careful not to step on any toes, if I were you, considering the thin ice you're already on."

Nyx gave a patronizing smile. "But of course, Prince Leo. I was merely thinking out loud. I can't help but worry for Azura, seeing how we traveled together for quite some time. Windmire has proven itself to be far more treacherous than anywhere else we've ventured. Her being here seems to have only put her in more danger."

She was blaming Leo. That much was clear. His eyes narrowing, he took a step forward. "Do not think I don't see the full intent of your comments. You would be wise to watch what you say, especially to a member of the royal family."

"Oh, you misunderstand me!" Nyx exclaimed with faux surprise, her expression quickly shifting to one to match his own. "My goal was never to hide the intent of my words. Oh no, I meant fully to remind you of the consequences of your actions."

Leo's response was quick and harsh. "Do  _not_  speak that way to me, or I'll have your head in a basket before dawn. I'm fully aware that you're no mere child, and I'll feel no guilt for ordering your execution."

In response, Nyx gave a dismissive sigh. "Oh, how I long for the days of true Nohrian nobility. Not the sorry state this castle has fallen into. An age when Nohr was a symbol of justice, integrity, honor. When even petty nobles and pettier princes understood that true power lies beyond childish threats and tantrums. When Siegfried and Brynhildr were wielded by those who used their power only for good." Her eyes narrowed, her tone going flat. "When Bölverk wasn't held by a tyrant. My, how these three Divine Weapons have been wasted."

Three. She had just said that  _three_  Divine Weapons had been wasted. Including Bölverk. Was she bluffing? No, she couldn't have been bluffing, it was too specific, too targeted of a comment. She knew about Bölverk's true nature. The truth behind her words was apparent.  _I know so much more than you think._ , her eyes seemed to say.  _I know more than you do._  "What are you hiding from me, Nyx?" he finally asked.

"I'm hiding many things, Prince Leo. When you've been around as long as I have, you learn your fair share of secrets. However, I do like to keep my cards close to my chest, so to speak. Now, if you truly do send me to the chopping block, my severed head won't exactly do much talking. Torture would fail as well; my young, frail body would never be able to take it. If, on the other hand, I was granted leniency, agency, perhaps a blind eye turned to my more…suspicious actions…" Her serious demeanor was broken by a sly grin. "Then perhaps I'd be more willing to share some of those secrets, to show you a few of my cards. I'm sure you must be dying to know what your father is keeping Peri alive for, or why he's so rarely let anyone else hold Bölverk."

Leo paused, soaking in the information. Nyx knew about the truth behind the Divine Weapons. Beyond that, she knew more of the truth than he did. She was the first person with both the knowledge and the desire to reveal it. At that moment, Leo finally understood why Iago had spoken so highly of her. She had just insulted him, insulted Xander, insulted his father, insulted practically the entire Nohrian nobility, and yet he was hesitant to enforce any kind of punishment for fear of losing the chance to learn what she knew. Information was her weapon, and she knew how to wield it well.

"You're selling information?" In truth, Leo was bewildered. Why she was offering was obvious; she was planning something, most likely an escape. Why she was offering the information to  _him_ , however, he couldn't fathom.

"I'm offering it in exchange for you giving me more freedom in my actions here. Whether or not you take me up on my offer is up to you." An ultimatum. She had pushed the decision back onto him, and he was left to either accept her offer or deny it. Allow her to manipulate him, or let himself continue to wallow in ignorance of the larger truth, hidden just below the surface.

Finally, he spoke, finding his throat drier than he expected. "Why would you not tell Corrin? What would you stand to gain from keeping your knowledge from her as well?" Nyx seemed to find that amusing, a trace of a smile forming at the edges of her lips.

"She needs to seek out the truth herself, without my interference. Otherwise, what she does with that knowledge won't matter." Nyx then turned around in her chair and reopened her book, grabbing a spare candle from under the desk, now that her last one had melted down to its base. "Now, I must return to my studies, and I'm sure you've far more important places to be than here." Begrudgingly, Leo relented, turning and heading towards the door with rampant curiosity and wounded pride. Despite being already deeply engulfed in thought, he heard her mutter something to herself on his way out. "Perhaps I should just return to isolation. You seemed to get plenty out of it, Saria…"

Hinoka

After years of training and fighting, sleep was something Hinoka had mastered. After all, when one trained relentlessly from the crack of dawn till the moon was high in the sky, they would quickly stop taking any amount of time to fall asleep. When someone spent their time on the battlefield, where conflict could break out at any moment, they learned to wake up at the sound of a pin dropping.

So, of course Hinoka was up and wide awake by the time the door to her guest room slid open. Having expected it to be Takumi, or perhaps Kiragi, she was surprised to instead see three castle guards standing outside of her room. "Princess Hinoka, we're here on orders from Archduke Izana. He claims there has been some sort of commotion, possibly an attack. He's sent us to escort you to a safer location within the castle."

Alarm bells should have gone off in her head the second the guard finished talking, but she was too focused on wondering if the others were safe. Hinoka would have rather joined the fighting, but she knew these guards would never let her risk herself. "Alright, I understand. Let me take a moment to prepare myself." She walked to her dresser, grabbing her daytime garb. It would be far more optimal to wear it as opposed to her nightgown.

"No time, Princess Hinoka. Our orders are to bring you to the safe room as soon as possible, no exceptions." One of the guards explained, his face mostly hidden underneath a metal helmet. The others were dressed the same way, each of them wielding spears. Begrudgingly, she followed behind them as they left, still in her nightgown.

As they ventured deeper into Castle Izumo, Hinoka listened carefully for the sounds of battle. None could be heard. "So, this attack…what do you think it might be?" she asked, trying to make conversation. It was important to her to get to know people she didn't know well. Through that, she'd better understand both friends and enemies alike.

"Perhaps an assassination attempt. No matter what it may be, our priority is getting somewhere safe." Geez, this guard seemed to be incapable of talking about anything else aside from getting to safety. By this point, more awake now, Hinoka realized that something about her situation was off. As they approached a stairway that led downwards, she stopped.

"I wonder why nobody else heard the commotion. You'd think there would be all sorts of people walking around. It's just us, though." Her comment prompted the guards to stop midway down the stairwell, turning to face her. The grips on their spears had tightened. Looking down at them, she noticed something dangling from one of their belts. Cuffs.

Where were the others? Surely if something had happened, they would have been escorted to the same place she was. She hadn't heard any more commotion, either. Now, she was by no means the smartest of her siblings, but she certainly wasn't dumb either. "Tell me what's going on, right now." They began to approach, no longer speaking. Their stances had changed, becoming much more defensive. She knew a fight when she saw one.

The first one reached the top, opening his mouth to say something. Hinoka didn't listen, slamming her fist upwards against the bottom of his jaw. He must've bitten his tongue hard from the force, because he let out a much more pained groan than she would've expected. As he began to fall back, she grabbed his spear, yanking it out of his hands before he went tumbling down the stairwell.

Hinoka could use a spear. She had grown up training to wield a naginata. Spears were virtually identical, which meant she no longer was at such a severe disadvantage. Reminding herself to spend more time thrusting and less time slashing, she readied herself as two more guards began to run at her.

Raising the spear high, Hinoka sent the blunt end just over the head of the soldier on the left before yanking it back, whacking him hard and making him lose his balance, tumbling down a few steps before regaining his footing. At the same time, the tip of the spear slashed against the other guard's leg, drawing blood and forcing him to step back.

So far, so good. Hinoka still maintained the high ground, and although she was outnumbered, she had already incapacitated one soldier and injured the leg of another. All in all, two remained uninjured. Both of the guards she had just fought had gotten back to their feet, the injured one charging in spite of his wounded leg. Just keep the high ground. Keep the high ground.

One of them thrust his spear out at Hinoka, forcing her to sidestep out of the way. The other one followed it up with an attack of his own, deflected away by a swing of her spear. She angled the direction of her spear downwards and towards the first guard. However, the spear was far less suited to slashing attacks than a naginata was, and the blade went over the man's head.

Hinoka was forced to step back to avoid being struck in her moment of recovery. Thrusting attacks, she needed to employ more thrusting attacks. She needed to make sure she still had the high ground. That was her greatest advantage and her only hope for winning this fight. She struck the uninjured guard straight against his breastplate, not wounding him, but disturbing his balance, once again forcing him back. Yanking back her spear, she turned to the injured guard and did the same, his cut leg granting him much less leniency, sending him tumbling backward and down half the flight before the second uninjured guard caught him, still waiting in the back.

Taking a step forward, Hinoka thrust again at the first guard, this time aiming for the neck. The attack landed, leaving him dead before he hit the ground. When he began to tumble back, she attempted to yank the spear back, only to have no luck. In a split-second decision, she let go of the spear in order to keep herself from falling down with him. The two remaining guards capitalized on this weakness, both rushing towards her. She just needed to grab one of their spears from them. She couldn't afford to run past them and lose her positioning.

Ducking underneath a blow aimed at her head, she reached her hands upwards to grab the shaft of the spear, only to have it yanked back, sending her stumbling towards the guard. He grabbed her by the shoulder, turning and flinging her down the stairwell.

For a second, it felt like the world was frozen. Perhaps it was the adrenaline pumping through Hinoka's body. Perhaps it was simply sheer resolve. No matter what the reason for her lightning-fast reaction, one thought echoed in her mind. Keep the high ground.

Hinoka grabbed the man's spear once again and yanked as hard as she could. The man's face went from a victorious smile to a confused grimace as he went down and she went up, using the force of pulling to get back to the top of the stairwell. Yanking the spear out of his hands, she could hear him tumbling down to the bottom of the stairwell. Without wasting another second, she had spun around, thrusting her spear at the last guard, embedding it right through one of the openings in his helmet.

The guard she had sent down the stairwell wasn't moving. The one she had just finished off slumped to the ground, lifeless. Yanking her spear back, Hinoka took a deep breath. Then, as she was about to exhale, a soft voice spoke behind her. "Be a dear and toss that weapon away, would you?"

Hinoka spun around, seeing Princess Camilla giving a wicked grin, holding Mitama close to her with one hand, and her axe inches away from the girl's throat with the other. Behind, a girl with red hair and one with blue hair approached, the former bearing a fat grin and the latter giving a blank expression. "It would be a shame for someone to get hurt." Camilla moved her axe a bit closer to Mitama's neck. "Well, for anybody else, I should say. If this girl isn't enough incentive, I could use one of the others."

Hinoka stood still, holding the spear tightly in her hands. "What did you do to them!? I swear if you've done something—"

"They're fine, Hinoka." Camilla's voice sounded more annoyed, more impatient. "However, if you test me, I can't guarantee that will stay the same. Now, toss that spear down the stairwell, and kindly allow my darling retainers to cuff you." Hinoka stopped, taking a deep breath, letting it in and out. Then, she tossed her spear back, admitting defeat.

Camilla gave a pleased smile, shoving Mitama over to the red-haired girl, who walked her past Hinoka and down the stairwell, stepping over the dead and unconscious guards. The blue-haired girl approached and quickly bound Hinoka's hands behind her back, moving her down the same route. It didn't take her long to realize that they were heading into the castle dungeons.

The cells were mostly empty; that was obvious, since there was rarely any serious crime in Izumo. However, near the end of the long hallway of cells, there were unfortunately some familiar faces. Midori, Asugi and Kiragi were sitting in one of the cells, looking up in horror at their comrades. Across the cell laid Archduke Izana, fast asleep in the back corner.

The two of them were shoved into the cell containing the others, Asugi checking Mitama to make sure that she was alright. The poor girl was on the verge of tears. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have let them catch me…" she muttered, Asugi trying in vain to comfort her.

Hinoka was looking around, trying to find her brother. "Where's Takumi?" He wasn't with the rest of them. Midori looked over at her, her hands clenched into fists.

"Camilla took him." Midori's voice was shaky and filled with regret. "We tried to stop her, but she captured us without much trouble. She told her retainers that she was going to take him to Nohr." Hinoka's heart sank at the news. "Apparently the Izana you were talking to was a fraud. Nohr's been overthrowing Izumo this whole time, and we didn't notice…" It was obvious that she was shouldering much of the blame on herself. "And Kiragi, he…" looking over to the boy, she realized that he had been silently crying the entire time. "He betrayed us. Gave Camilla all the information she needed to capture us."

The revelation was almost too much to bare, stacked atop everything else that had happened. Kiragi looked up at her, opening his mouth as if to say something, perhaps explain or apologize, but the words never came out. Instead, he just lowered his head back down, staring at the filthy cell floor.

Then, there was a knocking on the cell bars. Turning their heads, the group saw that red-haired girl, staring down at them. "Alright, listen up. Don't try anything, and you're not gonna get hurt. Simple as that." She seemed to want to leave it at that, but then she glanced around her, as if checking for someone. Her blue-haired companion was nowhere to be found. She looked back to them. "You, bean sprout." She looked at Midori, who blinked in confusion. "Why did you—"

"New orders from Lady Camilla." The other retainer walked into view, making the redhead quickly step back, clearing her throat. "She's to depart immediately with Prince Takumi. We're to finish our work here before leaving to rejoin her."

"Work? What else is there to do? Beruka, we've done everything we came here to do. Izumo's a puppet, the prince is in our hands, and his buddies are in a cell. Mission accomplished, right?" Putting her hands on her hips, she frowned at Beruka, who merely shot back a blank expression.

"We're to ensure any and all evidence of the altercation Hinoka had with those guards is to be erased. Then…" Beruka stopped, something seeming to hold her back. She bit her lip for a moment before taking a breath. "Then, we must eliminate the prisoners." A dead silence followed, nobody daring to be the first to speak. It was the redhead who finally cut through the silence.

"You're kidding." Her voice came out as a soft whisper, her expression one of disbelief. "You're messing with me, right?" Beruka shook her head. "No, you have to be messing with me. Lady Camilla would never order something like that."

"She has. She sees Takumi's comrades as threats. So long as they live, they could rescue him. If not, they'd still be a nuisance to Nohr." Beruka glanced at the prisoners, eyes locking with Hinoka's. "The princess is the only one who will remain alive. The rest must be executed posthaste. These are our orders, Selena."

Selena's voice almost immediately grew into a shout. "What the hell are you talking about!? Are you telling me we're supposed to just cut them down like dogs or something? Two of them are kids, Beruka!  _Kids!_ "

The conversation turning into an argument was enough to make Kiragi finally get up, grabbing his bandanna and showing it to the two. "Look! Please, look! You've seen this bandanna, I know you have!" Beruka eyed it, and for a moment, Hinoka thought she saw some kind of worry on her face. "It's yours! You gave it to me! You don't remember it, but you have to believe me!"

Selena's eyes widened. "Wait, don't tell me…he's from the future?" So they knew about the time travelers. Her eyes flashed back at Beruka. "Beruka, if he's telling the truth, then—"

Kiragi kept shouting, tears streaming down his face. "Please, you can't do this! I told you what I knew because I trusted you to not hurt anyone! Mother, I—" His voice cracked, choking out a pained sob. "I don't want this…please…" Beruka turned away so she was facing Selena, her face hidden from the rest.

Looking at Beruka, Selena kept trying to reason with her. "Let's just rethink things, alright? I know we always take the icky jobs, but this is different. Killing  _children_  is different." Beruka stood silent, her hands trembling. Then, they calmed, the girl letting out a soft breath.

"Lady Camilla gave us her orders. As her retainers, we are to follow them regardless of our personal thoughts." Beruka's tone never changed, never faltered. "Do you mean to say that you're betraying her?"

"I'm not—" Selena stopped, looking away, clicking her tongue in frustration. "Fine. Fine, I get it. Orders are orders. Even if they're gods-awful, it's not our job to question them. It's our job to carry them out." Giving her a nod, Beruka turned to face the prisoners, grabbing her axe from her belt.

In that moment, Midori seemed to simply break down, holding her head in her hands as she began sobbing. "No, no, this isn't right! This isn't what Dwyer said was going to happen! He said we were gonna save him! We still have to save him, we have to find Severa! We can't die here!" Asugi looked at her, devastated. "I have to save him, I have to! I can't die, I can't die, I can't fail!" Her voice began to quiet down into a whisper as she kept muttering to herself. At the end of the day, no matter how smart she was, how mature she was, how aware she was of the wider world, she was still a child, and handling something like this was something she couldn't do. "I can't die, I can't die, I can't die…"

Beruka held the cell door key in her other hand, reaching out towards the lock. Then, the sound of clanging metal echoed through the room. She crumpled to the floor, revealing Selena behind her, holding the base of her sword out. "Aw, shit. Did I hit her too hard?" She got on her knees, checking the unconscious girl. "Okay, just a bit of bleeding. Should be fine." Halfway through getting up, she paused and looked back down at her. "Sorry about this, Beruka." Grabbing the key from her hand, Selena clutched it tightly, staring back at the group.

Everybody had gone silent. Even Midori was staring up, her eyes sunken and tear-soaked. Selena looked at her with a cold gaze, putting a hand to her hip. "Hey, bean sprout, look at me. That name, the one you were spreading around the city, the one you just mentioned. Where'd you hear it?"

"H-huh?" Midori whispered out.

"I said, where the hell did you hear that name!? Severa, where'd you hear it!?" Selena shouted, terrifying the poor girl back into a curled-up ball. Hinoka stood up, returning the furious gaze the redhead was sending their way.

"A friend gave us the name." Hinoka explained. "He said we needed to find Severa to help save him."

Her gaze softening, Selena took a moment, sheathing her blade and wiping the sweat off her brow. "Damnit. Of course the second I start to get comfy, someone brings up that name. Why'd things have to get so damn  _complicated_?" It seemed that she was more speaking to herself than any of them.

"Do you know Severa?" Hinoka questioned. Was this girl finally a lead? Were they really going to get their next clue from a Nohrian retainer? Selena rolled her eyes, scoffing at the questions.

"Know her? Gawds, how can you be so daft?  _I'm_ Severa. And since only three other people know my real name, I'm real damn curious as to how your 'friend' learned it." Pinching the bridge of her nose, she groaned in anger. "Well, I'm already screwed if I stick around here. Guess I'm saving your asses, then." With that, she stuck the key in the cell door, and with a  _click_ , unlocked it. "Now stop being a bunch of babies and get out."


	34. Where You Are

Azura

Life was ironic. Azura had left in such a hurry to leave Lilly's estate, and now here she was, back inside. She wasn't safe, which meant that she needed to be put somewhere that could protect her, and Lilly's estate was the best option. Well, the best option when one didn't know that her retainer Gunter was trying to kill her. Every time the man came into her room, bringing a meal or messages from the few siblings who didn't hate her, she could just barely contain her fear. If he had even the slightest idea that she knew, he'd no doubt hasten whatever plan he had. Or kill her on the spot. That was also likely.

Shigure hadn't yet turned up. It was natural, she supposed; the estate was practically a fortress in terms of its defenses. A sizeable wall surrounding the building, a dozen guards outside, even more inside. How Lilly had managed to accrue enough wealth to afford so many guards was beyond her.

Lilly. Why did Azura question her? She had been her only real friend as a young girl, back before she was taken to Hoshido. Camilla, Leo, and Xander all supported her, but they were too worried about the risks of openly being friends with her. She couldn't blame them, since at that time about half of Castle Krakenburg wanted her dead. Though, she supposed that number hadn't really changed. If anything, it may have gone up.

Lilly, though, was different. She spent time with her, played games and talked for hours, always with a smile on her face. She risked her status, her life even, just to make Azura happy. Aside from her mother, Lilly was the only person from before Hoshido that she liked thinking about. Though, neither subjects of thought were free of association with some less fond memories.

Azura remembered when Lilly's mother yelled at her, shouted and screamed, cursed in just about every way one could, furious at the sight of her daughter playing with the most despised child in the castle. A death sentence, she had called it. She wasn't wrong. It was only a week before Azura had been taken when the woman was found dead in her quarters, a wine glass clutched in her hand. Poison.

Could that be the reason why? Revenge for her mother? Assuming Lilly was even involved, of course, which Azura reminded herself was an absurd notion. Still, that left Gunter's motivations up in the air. If he held any motives for going to such lengths to kill her, he wasn't showing them.

Quite possibly the worst part was that she had no idea if Niles and Nyx were alright. After Lilly's claim that they had been spared the guillotine, she had heard no news about their status or whereabouts. For all she knew, they could already be dead. Why did things like this keep happening to her?

Trying to stop thinking about all of it, she instead let her thoughts drift to her mother. Arete, second queen of Nohr, the woman with a singing voice so stunning that it made Garon fall for her. Some of Azura's most cherished memories were when her mother sang her a lullaby or taught her the song that had been passed down her family for generations. When she asked what it was about, her mother simply gave a wily smile, saying: "I'm not quite sure myself. I like to think it's about somebody trying to figure out who they are."

Azura, oblivious to the subtleties of that at her young age, responded. "Do you know who I am?" Her mother's smile grew as she tickled her for a moment, getting a giggle in response.

"Only you know that, Azura. Only you know who you really are, deep down inside." Her mother's answer had only grown more important to her as she grew older, but yet again, her younger self couldn't fully understand.

"Hmm…well, I really like the second verse in your song. Is that who I am?" This answer seemed to surprise her mother, though she didn't seem bothered by it. Was she? Her expression in that memory was hard to recall.

"Oh? And why's that? Aren't you still afraid of the dark?" The question annoyed her younger self, who was still embarrassed by her fear of the shadows that the moon would cast through her window at night.

"Yeah, but it's home, isn't?  _Embrace the dark you would call a home._  Home's where you are, so that's where I wanna be!" Azura still couldn't exactly recall her mother's response, but she knew it was a happy one.

Thinking of her mother for any stretch of time, however, would inevitably bring her back to her worst memory. Her younger self stood at her mother's bedside, watching her pale, sickly face attempt to smile as wide as she could. "Azura…hold out your hand…" Every word seemed as if it was using every ounce of effort she had. Azura, following her mother's instructions, felt something cold touch her palm. Her mother's pendant sat there, the blue gem contained within shining almost ethereally in the moonlight that flooded into the room.

"This is your favorite pendant, I-I can't take this…" Azura's meek protest was for naught, as her mother closed the young girl's hands around the pendant. "If I have this, t-then you can't wear it!" Looking back, Azura chided her younger self's naivete. She knew even then what was happening, but she had refused to accept reality.

"Azura, listen to me." Her mother took a raspy, prolonged breath. "This pendant is special. If you sing to it, it will help you. Even when I'm gone, it will—" She broke out into a severe coughing fit, one that seemed to never end. As her mother pulled her hands away from her mouth, Azura saw specks of blood dotted across her palms. "Even when I'm gone, it will keep you safe. One day, you may need it for something very important. Can you promise me…" Another coughing fit broke out, even worse than before.

"Mother!" Azura leaned closer to her mother, uncaring of whether she caught whatever ailment the woman was suffering from. She just wanted her to be alright. She wanted her to get better. Eventually, the coughing began to fade, her mother seeming even frailer.

"Promise me, Azura, that you'll use it when that day comes. Promise me that you'll help." That was one thing that she still didn't understand. What was so important? What was she supposed to do? Her younger self, for once, saw that she didn't understand. Regardless, she knew what her answer was.

"I promise." She tried not to cry; she wanted to look strong for her mother, she wanted to be trusted to keep this promise. The look on her mother's face was one that Azura remembered perfectly. Joy, relief, and pride were all reflected by her soft, simple smile.

"Remember Azura…only  _you_  know who you really are…" Her mother took one more breath, as if she were delighting in the very air she was breathing. She never exhaled.

"Mother?" Azura shook her gently, receiving no response. "Mother!?" She started to shake her harder, but to no avail. "Mother! Please, no, don't go! I don't wanna be alone, I need you! You can't leave me!" Her begging went unanswered.

Azura was snapped out of her dour memory by the sound of her window opening. Flinging the bedsheets off herself, she jumped onto her feet and stood at the ready, expecting yet another assassin. The fact that the expectation was even there honestly scared her a little. Instead of an assassin, Shigure slid in through the open window, his eyes locking onto her and his face morphing into one of relief. "You're safe. Apologies for the prolonged absence, but it took me a good day to figure out the patrol patterns well enough to attempt an infiltration."

Even knowing that he was her son, she couldn't help but regard him with hesitation. Then again, perhaps it was because he was her son. If he noticed her behavior, he didn't say. "I'm glad to see you're here, Shigure." Her relief was real, but it felt stilted, caught in her lungs, as if she was afraid to voice it fully.

His own stilted tone was a reminder that he didn't want his identity to be known. The tension between the two of them was thicker than she liked, but she knew it was likely to remain that way for a while. "As am I glad to see you safe. A place like this is much safer than Krakenburg for you."

Tensing up, Azura looked to the ground. "I don't think I really am. Lilly's retainer, he's the one who hired the assassins. At least, the ones from the second attempt. I feel like I've only entered the belly of the beast."

"Then I'll dispose of him. Problem solved." Shigure turned to face the door to her room as if he were about to step out and find Gunter right then and there.

Azura walked over to him, grabbing his hand. "No. That's an awful idea." Turning around, he raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if he's working alone or not. What if there's someone else involved, and they're here?" She couldn't bear to suggest Lilly as a possibility. "If Gunter dies, this person would assume I know, and they'd kill me now, rather than whenever they're planning on."

Shigure paused, holding a thumb to his chin, thinking on it for a moment. Then, he pulled his hand away, fishing through his pockets until he pulled out a scrap of paper, handing it to her. "Write a message to someone you think can help you. I can take it to them. I'll be able to come back tomorrow evening, and then I can get it to them."

Azura took the blank note, looking down at it for a few seconds. When she looked up, he was already headed out the window. She opened her mouth to say something to him. "Wait, Shigure, I don't—" The window shut, and he was gone. Her grip on the paper tightened as she felt a mixture of fear and anger fill her. "I don't wanna be alone…"

Beruka

Her head hurt like hell. No, more than hell. It was like hell itself sent her even further down into the depths of the earth, using her head to break the rocks on the way down. This was due mostly to the splitting headache she had, but it was only made worse by the yelling in her ear. "Get up you dimwit! Hurry up!" Groaning, she picked herself up, looking at Zola, who she noticed was bleeding from his cheek, his clothes tattered in numerous places. Not only that, but he wasn't using his illusion magic to appear as Archduke Izana. "Finally, you're awake!"

"What…" Beruka winced, feeling the back of her head, where the pain was most prominent. When she looked at her hand, she saw dry blood crusted up on her fingertips. "Someone attacked. How long has it been?" She still had her axe, good. What wasn't good was the fact that the cells containing Takumi's companions and Archduke Izana were empty.

Zola sneered in annoyance. "Well aren't you the little detective? Yes, someone attacked! Your rotten little friend set the Hoshidans  _and_  the archduke free! The castle is in chaos right now! Our people are being hunted down, and you've been down here taking a nap!"

Selena? She did this? No, that wasn't possible. There had to be something else going on. "And you want me to get you out of here." Her assumption was met with a nod before Zola began to go on a rant about him being her superior, and how that made his safety her priority. She knew she would have to escort him out, but she hardly cared. She needed to find Selena, to figure out what was going on. In the middle of his speech, she walked past him and towards the stairs leading out of the dungeons, forcing him to shut up and follow along.

Two guards were coming their way, shouting at them to surrender. Beruka paid them no mind, unhooking her hand axe from her belt and charging. One of them, a young woman, tried to thrust her spear out to stop her, but Beruka simple sidestepped and attacked, cutting her throat open and shoving her collapsing body out of the way. The other, an older man, began to panic, giving Beruka the opportunity to grab the shaft of his spear, yank him towards her, and drive the head of her axe into his chest. She continued on, leaving Zola to walk around the corpses, a disgusted look on his face.

"The Hoshidans. Where are they?" Beruka asked, remaining alert as they entered the halls of the castle proper.

"I-I don't know. I think they were heading to the stables." Zola stammered out, already having lost the confidence he had displayed when he'd woken her up. Up ahead, one of the Nohrians that were planted in the castle guard was backing away from two actual guards, their spears raised at him. Beruka paid him no mind, leading Zola down another hallway.

Another guard, seemingly barely of age, started heading towards them until he saw Beruka's axe, its head dripping blood. He turned and began to run the other way, which prompted her to throw the hand axe at him, embedding it in his back and sending him to the floor. Running over to him, she yanked it out, and upon hearing him weakly groan, delivered one last blow to his nape.

At this point, any combat Beruka got into was driven purely by instinct. Her mind was engulfed by a swarm of questions and doubts. Was Selena really behind this? Why would she have done it? Was it some sort of control? Blackmail, perhaps? Maybe even an imposter? As she kept thinking on it, her mind began to drift back to that Hoshidan boy, the one with the bandana that had looked so much like her own. He had called her "mother".

Stepping outside and heading to the stables, Beruka spotted another guard stationed at the entrance. She threw her hand axe, watching it hit his helmet, followed by him collapsing. Running over, she picked it up from the ground, raising it for a killing blow.

" _I told you what I knew because I trusted you to not hurt anyone!"_

The boy's words echoed in her mind, making her hesitate. The man below her stared up with terror in his eyes as blood dripped down from her axe and onto his armor. After a few seconds, she yanked his helmet off and kicked him in the head, rendering him unconscious. Opening the stable doors, she immediately noticed that a few horses, as well as Princess Hinoka's pegasus, were already gone. They had already escaped.

Beruka wanted to scream, but she contained herself, strapping her axe back to her belt and running to her wyvern, which was still in the stables. She needed to follow them, to find Selena. She needed to hear Selena say that she hadn't helped them. Glancing down, she saw a wing on the dirty floor. Picking it up, she held it to her wyvern, who sniffed it. "Follow this scent. Take me to them." Her wyvern seemed to have a good grasp of the scent, already eager to spread its wings.

As Beruka untied her wyvern, Zola approached. "Are we to ride on your wyvern? Excellent idea! We'll be able to make it back to Krakenburg in no time at all."

Not even sparing him a glance, Beruka hopped on the back of her wyvern, securing her saddle one last time. "Take a horse. Get to safety." With that, her wyvern sprinted out of the stable door and took off, leaving a confused and furious Zola behind to fend for himself. She had gotten him out, just as she had promised. He was a crafty man, he'd manage to get back to Krakenburg. She was going to follow the Hoshidans and save Selena. No matter what it would take, she was going to get her back.

Nina

Watching Fenn was one of the most aggravating things Nina had ever done. Here he was, the man who killed her father, chatting with Corrin without a care in the world. The two of them clinked their drinks together, each taking a swig before slamming them back down on the table. "Damn Fenn, you still know how to hold your booze! I thought you'd gone soft." Corrin grinned, taking another drink.

Fenn's grin was cocky, self-assured. "What can I say, Corrin?" He held his arms out, leaning back in his chair. "I've gotta keep up appearances."

Laughing, Corrin pointed at him. "You mean the appearance of a homeless grizzly bear? Yeah, you're maintaining that really well." Fenn laughed back, taking the joke in stride. "You know, I honestly thought you would've quit the smuggling business by now. Last we met, this job was what got you that scar."

"Windmire's Underground. Don't remind me." Scoffing, he kicked his feet up on the table, getting an annoyed glance from a nearby bartender. "I've got no idea how you grew up somewhere like that. Takes a special kinda luck to stay kicking around there."

Shrugging, Corrin hummed. "Eh, it grows on you. I kinda miss it, actually. Been traveling so much, it'd be nice to see it again. Of course, that won't be too long." Leaning forward, she had a glint in her eye. "So, what plan did you cook up to get us to Windmire?"

Pulling his feet off the table and leaning in as well, Fenn's grin faded. "Well, I did find a way. Problem is, it's the only one I found, and you're really not gonna like it." Corrin raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing him, so he elaborated. "So there's this noblewoman in Windmire who's got an obsession with animals, especially of the foreign variety. She's paying a lot of money to get some Hoshidan animals to her mansion as quickly and quietly as possible. It'll be a quick journey, and the likelihood of getting stopped for questions is low. Problem is what kind of animals she's carrying."

Corrin's eyes widened, her face going pale. "No. Don't say it, don't you dare say it. I swear Fenn if you're about to say what I think you're about to say—"

"Cats." Fenn's answer nearly sent Corrin falling off her chair. "Hoshidan Mountain Bobcats, to be more specific."  _That_  sent her off her chair, her bottle falling with her and spilling all over the floor, gaining an even angrier look from the bartender. "Told ya you wouldn't like it."

"No. No way. Find us another way to get to Windmire." Corrin stumbled back into her seat, visibly shaken.

"Like I said, it's the only route I've got. The war's meant that cross-country smuggling has gotten a lot harder. It'll probably be weeks until I can hook you up with a better option." Shrugging, Fenn leaned back. As Corrin audibly lamented her fate, Nina glanced to her left, seeing her double sitting on the other side of her table.

Nina's eyes widened, but Vara seemed calm. "Relax," the girl said. "You're the only one who can see me. Oh, did I not mention that?" Crossing her legs, she peered over at Fenn. "Once the deal's settled, we won't need him anymore. We should kill him then." Hearing that made Nina's gut wrench, something that her double noticed. "What? Don't tell me you're getting cold feet."

"I'm not, it's just…" Sighing, Nina kept her voice low. "I dunno. Something about this doesn't feel right."

"Doesn't feel right? Nina, you've done plenty of bad things before. I'm confused as to why you're getting skittish about it now."

"Well, murder is something I can't say I have much experience in. I steal things, sure, but I've never killed anyone who wasn't trying to kill me."

"You want to kill the girl who murdered Ophelia. You aren't wanting that because she tried to kill you, you want that because she killed someone close to you. Just like Fenn."

Nina sighed again. "It's different. He…he hasn't really killed him. That happened in the future, sure, but he's not the same person. I mean, the way he's been talking to Corrin makes him almost seem…nice." Fenn was still trying to talk Corrin into the offer, while she seemed to be adamantly against it.

Vara scoffed. "He didn't seem like a killer when you first met him, either. Besides, even if he's not one now, he'll just go down that road later."

"Things have changed, and that means he might change too. Maybe he won't become the man he was when I first met him." At this point, Nina felt like she was more trying to convince herself.

"And if he doesn't? Then, he's going to kill people, people who don't deserve to die. If him murdering your dad somehow isn't enough incentive, then think about the other people he'll kill, the people he might've already killed. You're doing the world a favor by putting him down."

Reflecting on that, Nina still couldn't help but feel torn. She hated just looking at this man, but he wasn't really the man that had struck down her father. Then again, the Niles she knew wasn't the same Niles they were trying to rescue. Trying to wrap her head around it was confusing. It's why she tended to avoid thinking on any sort of contemplative topics. "I know, I just—"

Loud laughing interrupted Nina as Corrin and Fenn both nearly snorted from how hard they were laughing. Corrin's laugh calmed down to a chuckle. "Alright Fenn, you've convinced me. I'll ride in your stupid hellcat wagon. But you owe me big time for this."

Fenn flashed another wide grin. "How about since I'm the one getting you to Windmire, we'll call it even. Who knows? Maybe I'll say you're indebted to me. Took me a lot of trouble to get this figured out." Was there an edge to his voice? Nina couldn't tell if she was just imagining it. She remembered what he had told her father.  _"You know Niles, I think I found a good way for you to pay off your debt. You and your girl must have quite the bounties on your heads."_

Corrin nodded. "Fine, I owe ya one. So, tomorrow morning then?"

Nodding back, Fenn stood up. "Yup, crack of dawn. They'll set off with or without you, so try and be there on time. And don't worry, I've already told them to expect you, so no need to drag me along to straighten things out. Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta attend to some more business. Was nice seeing you again, Corrin."

Giving a smile that was more genuine than cocky, Corrin stood up, holding out a hand. "You too, you homeless grizzly bear." They must've been closer friends than Nina thought.

"Oh please don't tell me you're gonna make that a thing now." Chuckling, Fenn shook Corrin's hand. She merely gave a sly wink before he turned and walked out of the bar. Nina turned her gaze back to Vara, who was watching him leave.

"Tonight, then. While he's sleeping." Vara turned to look at her with an intense expression. Nina found herself unable to say anything in disagreement. Instead, she turned to watch Corrin, who was gazing at the door Fenn had walked out of with a nostalgic smile.

Asugi

As their newly obtained horses strolled through the forest trail, Asugi found himself glancing back and forth between Severa and Midori. Severa, seeming to have a neutral expression that always remained a scowl, had been mostly silent since they had gotten out of Izumo. Whenever anybody questioned her, she had simply told them to shut up and be patient.

Severa had also prevented them from rescuing Takumi. When Hinoka had furiously demanded why, the girl had looked at her as if she was an idiot. "Camilla's already got him. They're in the skies, heading to Krakenburg as we speak. Even if we caught up to them, we'd be going toe to toe with her, and trust me when I say that she is not somebody you want to take on in a fight. He'll be fine; Camilla still doesn't plan on harming him." Even when she said it, Asugi felt like she wasn't entirely sure herself.

As for their actual destination, Severa remained tight-lipped. The only thing she had said about it was that there was someone they needed to talk to. Any further inquiries were met with more less-than-polite requests to shut their mouths before she shut them herself. At this point, her name was the only reason anybody was bothering to put up with her.

Midori, meanwhile, had hardly spoken a word since they got out of their cell. They had stopped at one point to rest, but it seemed that she hadn't taken advantage of the time. Dark shadows hung under her bloodshot eyes that seemed to only ever look forward. It made him worry, but he hadn't yet talked to her. He supposed at first that she just needed some space, but that clearly hadn't done anything.

Steering his horse a bit closer to her younger steed, Asugi nervously watched her. "Hey, Midori. How're you holding up?" He watched as the others moved a bit further ahead, thankfully granting them a little more privacy.

Midori didn't even glance his direction. "Fine." Her voice sounded hollow and scratchy. Asugi sighed, realizing that this was probably all he was going to get if he just kept to small talk.

"Midori, I know you're not fine. We need to talk about what happened."

"A lot's happened."

"You know what I'm talking about, Midori. Back in the dungeon, the way you started acting. I've never seen you like that before."

"I was scared." Midori certainly wasn't fooling anyone, her voice already quivering.

"That was beyond just scared, Midori. You looked like you were losing your mind. Curled up in a ball, hyperventilating, repeating the same things over and over…you looked like…" He wanted to say that she looked like a broken wind-up doll, but decided against voicing that comparison.

"As I said, I was scared. It's over now." Asugi could see her hands shaking now, too. She still hadn't even glanced his direction, her eyes glued on the road ahead. "Nothing to worry about."

Starting to grow impatient, Asugi spoke more sternly. "Midori, don't lie to me. I know you're not okay. Sure, you're not rocking back and forth on the ground, but you've hardly rested at all. And what if it comes back? What if something happens, and you do that again? What if we aren't saved the next time? You'll be defenseless, and something could happen. I don't want you to—"

"It wasn't the first time." Midori's voice was barely above a whisper, and Asugi almost missed what she had said entirely. He looked at her in shock, while she continued to look away.

"…What?"

Midori repeated herself. "It wasn't the first time." Taking a shaky breath, she held it for a few moments, then continued. "It's happened before." Asugi thought to ask another question, but he chose to remain silent and give her however long she needed. "It started back when…back when we lost Shiro. The night after, I woke up and I felt like I needed to vomit. I ran into the woods and threw up, and I still didn't feel better. I don't know how long I was there, but by the time it was gone, the sun had come up." Asugi remembered that day. When she had come to camp, he had asked her where she had gone.  _"Oh, I just needed a morning walk."_  Her smile had seemed so real, like there was nothing wrong.

Midori took another breath before continuing. "Then, after Percy, it happened again. I just couldn't get his face out of my head, and then I was trying to push my legs as close to me as I could, and I couldn't stop crying. I wanted to throw up again, but I hadn't eaten all day. Every time we lost someone, it happened to me. Then…" She whimpered. "Then Dwyer…when he fell into that chasm, and we thought we lost him, it happened to me again. But a few days later, it happened again on its own. It kept happening, sometimes after a couple of days, sometimes after a month or two. I'd just make up an excuse and run away from whoever was nearby me so I could go puke in private. I just…I couldn't stop thinking about everyone. It was my fault we lost them, it was all my fault!" She had begun to tremble more visibly, her breathing quickening.

Asugi placed a hand on her shoulder, making her flinch before turning to look at him, her eyes watering. "Don't say that, Midori." He felt like he was pleading more than anything. Seeing how she was, hearing what had happened to her, it made him feel awful for not having ever noticed. "It wasn't your fault. You can't keep thinking that."

"I know, I know, I just…" Sniffing, Midori turned back to look ahead. "I can't stop believing it anyways. I don't know what to do. Everybody saw me doing it, and now I can't stop thinking about that, and it just makes me want to curl up and close my eyes and wish everything would stop."

Moving his hand away, Asugi tried to process everything she had said. After a long while of silence, he spoke. "Thank you for telling me. You didn't have to, you didn't want to, but you did. Thank you, Midori." She didn't say anything, sitting on her horse in silence. Eventually, recognizing that she had nothing else to say, he moved away from her to give her some space. Maybe she did need it more than he had thought.

Takumi

The wind nipped at Takumi's ears, blowing his long, untied hair behind him. Sometimes, a shift in the wind would send his hair into his face. In front of him, Camilla sat with her wyvern's reins in hand, silent. She would only speak whenever he did. When he had asked her why she didn't tie him up before taking off, her answer was simple. "Because I know you're smart enough to not attack me while we're on the same wyvern. If I go down, you go down too, and I know you care too much about seeing your darling friends and family again to let that happen." She was right, as much as he loathed admitting it.

When he asked how long they were going to be in the air, she shrugged. "As long as it takes for us to get to Windmire. Still, the winds have been in our favor, and my adorable wyvern is one of the fastest you'll find. If things stay as fortunate as they've been, we should be back by tomorrow evening."

His next question expressed his doubt that she was going to hold true to her word. Her response was similarly blunt. "You have no guarantees of anything, Takumi. You don't trust me, so I struggle to understand why you keep asking regardless. Your mind's made up. Regardless, I mean it when I say I have no intention of harming you. Father expressly wished you be captured with as little harm to yourself as possible."

When Takumi asked why he wasn't supposed to be harmed, she gave a knowing smile. "Oh, I have my theories. He's doubtless doing this in an effort to appeal to you, to make you more willing to cooperate."

"Cooperate with what?" Takumi asked, staring at his Fujin Yumi, nestled into a pouch on the side of the wyvern's harness. His eyes then drifted up to the axe strapped to Camilla's bag, its mere presence making him uncomfortable. What was it about that weapon that put him on edge?

Chuckling, Camilla glanced back at him, giving him a wink. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next couple chapters are gonna be delivering on all the buildup that's been going on since everyone got out of the Bottomless Canyon. Secrets will be revealed, bonds will be tested, and plots will be twisted. Stay tuned!


	35. It Won't

Nina

Standing outside Fenn's room, Nina glanced out a window, staring up at the stars. Behind her, Vara leaned against a wall. "We're burning moonlight, Nina. C'mon." She was actually here, truly about to do this. She was about to kill the man who murdered her father. She supposed it hadn't truly hit her until this moment, and now that it had, she was finding it hard to take it all in. Vara, meanwhile, seemed to have no issue with the idea of it, and was more bothered by how long it was taking Nina to work up the courage to open the door and get it over with.

"I know, I know. I just…" Nina took her dozenth deep breath since she had arrived. "Give me a minute." Never mind the fact that she had been saying this for almost a half an hour, something which Vara was all too eager to remind her of. That doubt she had experienced earlier in the day still lingered, and it was already beginning to eat her up inside. The closer she drew to the moment of truth, the more her doubts weighed her down.

"You know, if it's too tough for you, you could just let me take the reigns for a second, and I can get it done for you." The casual offer was one that Nina almost accepted before she realized the implications of that.

"Wait, since when could you do something like that!?"

Vara didn't seem to understand Nina's surprise in the slightest. "Since always. I just need your permission first. Though, that look on your face tells me that's a definitive no." Shrugging, she closed her eyes. "It was just an idea, since you don't seem to have too many beyond looking worried in a different part of the room." Nina grumbled to herself, looking down at the floor.

The number of valid points Vara had raised were too many to count, yet something still was holding Nina back. Was it empathy? Morality? Fear? None of those seemed like especially valid reasons to hesitate; this man was a killer, or at least, was going to become one. She had no reason to feel any empathy for him, and as Vara had said, killing him would be doing the world a favor. He was fast asleep, so it wasn't like she had to worry about him fighting back.

"Corrin won't find out." Vara reminded, walking closer and setting a reassuring hand on Nina's shoulder. "By the time anybody finds out, we'll be long gone. Nobody's gonna find out. We can just kill him and be done with it. All this can be in the past." She was right. Nina knew she was right. Trying to swallow her fear, she slowly walked up to the door, quietly turning the knob. She flinched as the door creaked, pushing it open faster to silence it.

However the room looked, Nina wasn't paying attention. Her focus was only on the man that laid in the bed in the far corner, fast asleep and deathly quiet. She crept over, trying to replicate that silence as Vara followed behind her with equally light footsteps. There was no moonlight shining through his windows, something which kept his face relatively obscured.

Standing at his bedside, it struck Nina just how truly vulnerable he was. At least her father had a fighting chance; Fenn was at his weakest, his most unguarded state. It felt surprisingly wrong to her, the idea of killing him like this. Why? Why, only now, did she feel some kind of guilt for doing something like this? Her entire career for most of her life had been stealing everything not nailed to the walls!

Then again, she gave the things she stole away. She was a self-proclaimed vigilante, one who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. It was a naïve life to live, but she lived it well and without regrets. This benefitted no one but herself. No, she reminded herself, this was helping others. This was helping her father, helping the other people Fenn might have gone on to kill. She was doing the right thing.

The darkness in the room was cast out by a flickering violet light as an arrow sprung into life within her grip. She raised her hand, watching the flames lick around her skin, engulfing it but never harming it. Holding the arrow above Fenn's head, she suddenly felt more terrified than she had been since the day she had first met him. Her hand shook and trembled in spite of herself, her grip feeling so weak that she was afraid she was going to drop it.

Then, Vara's hand wrapped around her own, tight enough to keep it steady. Nina looked up at her, seeing sympathetic eyes and a determined gaze. "You don't have to do it alone." Those words meant more to Nina than her double may have known. Nodding, Nina slowly moved the arrow down, inching closer and closer to his face, the flames dancing more wildly, as if in anticipation. Then, she plunged down.

When morning came, the group gathered by the three large covered wagons, hearing the snarling and growling of the animals within. Corrin seemed like she was going to faint then and there, but Mozu managed to guide her into the back of one of the wagons, giving the others a hopeful smile before climbing in behind her. Kana climbed in another one on his own, leaving Nina to hop into the third one. It surprised her to see Forrest quite casually climb in behind her.

"Are you alright, Nina?" Forrest asked, tilting his head as he sat down next to her.

Looking at him, Nina attempted to give a reassuring smile. "Huh? Oh, yeah, of course!" Her gaze drifted to a nearby steel cage where a bobcat slept peacefully, its chest rising up and down. "Why would you ask?"

"I'm not sure. You just seem…" Forrest paused, looking for the right word. "sad, I suppose. I'm worried about you. Ever since the canyon, you've been spending a lot more time by yourself, and you've been so much more on edge."

"I'm fine Forrest, really!" Nina laughed, but she could tell it wasn't doing much to convince him.  **"I know what you could do to set his mind at ease."**  An image popped into Nina's mind, one that made her cheeks flush a soft red.

"You're blushing. Is something wrong? Is it too stuffy back here?" Forrest's concern was so honest, so well-meaning. It made Nina feel dizzy. Everything was making her feel dizzy. There had just been too much going on, and she was having such a tough time dealing with all of it. She realized just how dizzy she truly was as she began to tilt over, falling right onto the surprised boy's shoulder. "Nina! Hey, are you alright?"

Nina looked up at him, saw the care in his eyes, the worry in his face. Before she could stop herself, she lifted her head up and planted a fleeting kiss on his cheek, one that made him go quiet. "I'm fine, Forrest. Really." Sitting back up, Nina watched his face go redder, and hers, in turn, shifted to a much brighter hue of red.

For a moment, the two of them just stared at eachother. Then, Forrest cleared his throat. "T-that's good. I'm glad to hear it." The dismissal of the kiss was enough to actually annoy her.

"Wait, seriously? I just kissed you on the cheek and you're just ignoring it?" Nina's annoyance made Forrest grow more embarrassed, trying to stammer out some sort of proper response, but completely failing to do so. She couldn't stay mad at him when he did something so cute. She leaned closer and kissed his cheek once more. "Do you have a better response now?"

"I…uh…" Forrest looked straight ahead of himself, tense and quiet. "I'm just not sure what to, erm, say…" It was clear that he was telling the truth. He had absolutely no idea on how to proceed. Lucky for Nina, she had a voice in her head that apparently had a decent amount of knowledge on the topic of romance.

"Then don't." was all Nina said before she kissed him yet again, this time planting it on his lips. The wagon had begun to move, but she paid it no mind, instead holding the kiss, wrapping her arms around him. The two sat like that for a while before Nina finally broke the kiss, both their faces now as red as tomatoes. "So?"

Forrest, much to Nina's surprise, broke out into nervous laughter. Upon seeing her confused look, he laughed even harder. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just…" His laughter began to die down. "I wish I had known earlier. Then I wouldn't have had to hide it from you, either." She blinked in surprise, her mouth hanging slightly open as the implications of his words hit her. He liked her too.

Nina soon began to laugh as well. "You jerk! Here I was thinking I just had a one-sided crush! You could've worked up the courage yourself, you know! Isn't that what guys are supposed to do?"

"Alright, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Geez, there's no need to get so uptight about it…"

"Uptight!? Are you kidding me!?" Their somewhat serious, somewhat joking argument continued, waking up the bobcat. It didn't seem to mind much, simply yawning before returning back to sleep amidst the back and forth bickering.

Severa

She had a feeling the others were gonna start getting apprehensive the second they saw the Bottomless Canyon in the horizon. After all, they just got away from that horror show, so the idea of coming back sounded less than attractive. Still, she hoped the change of scenery would help better ease them into it. After all, they had been so used to the endless dead gray nothing of the canyon proper that it was likely quite nice to see such a surprising amount of greenery.

Mitama seemed especially impressed. "I had no idea there could be this much wildlife so close to the canyon!" She was only holding onto her horse's reigns with one hand, using the other to put a flower in her hair that she had previously stopped the entire group just to pick. Severa nearly cursed her out for it, but she managed to contain herself; after all, she couldn't risk alienating these people until she understood the situation fully.

If the lush environment was a surprise, then the village the group eventually spotted was downright shocking. Severa couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, believe it or not, people actually live around here. Nothing crazy though; just a little independent town."

"Is this why we came this way?" Hinoka asked, her pegasus seeming just as impatient as she was. "What could possibly be here that would warrant this kind of trip? We've barely rested. I'm fairly certain Midori's caught a cold." Behind her, the green-haired bean sprout sneezed into her shirt, nearly spooking her horse in the process.

"Whatever," Severa said dismissively. "I'll just ask my friend to get her a blanket." A few eyebrows were raised at that comment, inducing a sigh. "I told you guys that three other people know my real name. The first two are other retainers at Krakenburg. The third lives here. We're gonna meet her, and you all are gonna help me figure this mess out with her."

As they entered the village, someone almost immediately noticed them, running over with a smile on his face. "Selena! Gods, it's great to see you! How have you been holding up?" The others gave her a quizzical look.

"Ah, you know, just taking it day by day…" Severa scratched the back of her head nervously, hoping this kind of attention wouldn't persist throughout her visit.

"Well, it's great to see you here again. How about we head to the tavern? Drinks are on me!"

Holding her hands out in front of her, Severa shook her head. "Nu-uh. Listen, I appreciate the hospitality, but I won't be here long. I'm just stopping by for a day or two, nothing more. I'd prefer this not turn into some big occasion."

Deflated but understanding, the man nodded. "Ah, I see. Well, it's good to see you anyways. We still owe you so much, so feel free to ask for help with anything if you need it!" He walked off, presumably to finish whatever business he was attending to. As they walked further into the village, the group's eyes were still on her.

"We saved this place from bandits a few years back. They still treat us like we're saints or something for doing it." Severa explained, finding herself rolling her eyes just talking about it. "Don't worry, they'll probably ignore you." The village seemed to be doing rather well for itself since she had last visited. Businesses were booming. She could imagine it becoming a bit of a hub for trade in a few years' time.

Where was she? Severa could've sworn her place was somewhere around this street…had she moved locations? If she had moved out of town, by the gods Severa was gonna make sure there was hell to pay. Finally, down the street, she spotted it; a small store sat nestled between two houses that were significantly taller and larger, granting it the appearance of being somewhat smushed. She ran over, and the others followed behind, strangely silent. Perhaps they were just anticipating the reveal of whatever knowledge Severa had. Oh, if only they knew…

Standing in front of the shop and finding it empty, Severa banged her fist on the front counter. A woman's voice came from behind a large curtain. "Just one second! I'll—" A loud crash interrupted her. "Oh, darnit! I'll, uh, be right there! Just gotta pick these pots back up…" Some more loud noises along with more "darnit"s could be heard as she seemingly kept accidentally dropping things. Finally, a resigned sigh could be heard.

Pushing the curtain open, she stepped out. "Sorry about that! So, uh, welcome! Welcome! What can I get…" She stopped talking, her eyes locking with Severa's. She seemed to have changed her look since Severa had last seen her. It seemed she had gone for a more Nohrian look; not surprising, seeing as it was much more reminiscent of home than Hoshidan garb was. She had thankfully ditched that awful red and yellow cape as well, having replaced it with a completely red cloak. Her red hair was still tied into a ponytail, though she seemed to have let it grow out quite a bit.

"I like the new look, Anna." Severa commented, unable to resist a cocky grin at her friend's bewildered expression. "How's the store been going?"

"Sev…" Anna whispered out as if to confirm that she was really there. "I'll, ah, close up early for today. Perhaps you'd better come in." She blinked, glancing at the others. "Oh, and your, um, friends, as well."

As it turned out, Anna didn't live in either of the houses next to her store. Rather, she lived in the back. It was a cramped, dusty little space that struggled to fit the large group. Knickknacks and curiosities were scattered all over, ranging from delicate porcelain dishes to a rock painted yellow. Had she been trying to pass it off as gold? Severa cleared her throat, explaining the situation to her friend.

Anna held a finger to her chin. "So they knew your name because a man trapped in time and space told them? And he knew because they had told him? Hoo boy, that's a headache and a half. So, what don't they know about us, then?"

Severa folded her arms, leaning against an empty weapons rack. "Everything else. Inigo, Owain, home, all of it. We need to do something about this. I've already considered murdering them, but that's too much trouble." Hinoka and a few of the others seemed to find that rather unpleasant to hear.

Midori spoke up, her voice soft and quiet. "We just wanna get Dwyer back. That's all we care about right now." Anna looked at her, giving a warm smile.

"Well then, the answer's simple, isn't it? We get their friend back." Anna promptly stood up. "Alright everyone, follow me!" She began to head out of the room, with the others glancing at eachother, murmuring. "C'mon, there's something you guys should see."

Severa followed after her, worried that Anna was going to do something reckless. "Hey, you aren't gonna do what I think you're gonna do, right? We can't just show that to anyone we think we can trust!"

"You trusted them enough to not kill them. I'm taking that as a sign that they should see it." Anna continued along, humming a tune as the group began to follow her. They headed through the village, attracting a few suspicious glares, but no other real attention. Much to the Hoshidans' curiosity, they then headed out of the village and towards a nearby mountain, by far the most lifeless part of the nearby landscape.

Once they arrived at the mountain's base, Anna looked around for a while until she found an oddly-placed boulder. "Help me out with this?" She looked to Severa, who begrudgingly complied. The two of them placed their hands on the side of the boulder and began to push it out of the way, revealing to the group a pitch-black cave. "Ah, you didn't happen to bring a light source, did you?" She laughed nervously, much to Severa's annoyance.

Just as Severa was about to chew her friend out, Mitama stepped out from the group. "Don't worry, I think I have something." She grabbed a small handbook from her satchel, opening it up. "Healing magic is my specialty, but I think I can manage this…" Clearing her throat, she muttered something below her breath until a small light seemed to will itself into existence, floating above the pages of her handbook. "There. A light source."

"Could've told us about that a long time ago, Stars." Asugi commented, looking somewhat annoyed.

Mitama simply shrugged, heading into the cave. "We didn't need it until now." Looking at Anna, she nodded. "Lead the way." Anna was all too happy to oblige, walking in alongside Mitama, who lit the way. The others followed, with a substantially grumpier Severa in the back.

"Watch your step, everyone!" Anna warned with a voice that was a bit too cheery considering the oppressive atmosphere the cave cast. Eventually, the path started going downwards, resulting in a few losses of balance. Thankfully, nobody fell down, aside from Severa, who ended up with a nasty bruise on her cheek as a result.

Hinoka cast the two redheads a suspicious glare. "What are we supposed to be looking for down here? Is this some kind of trap?" Severa scoffed. Of course, she would assume it was a trap. The woman had more trust issues than she did.

"Obviously not." Severa looked over at Hinoka. "This is the way to our home. Well, sorta. You'll see." She had to admit, she took some enjoyment out of keeping secrets from the group. Watching their confused expressions was definitely fun for her.

The Hoshidans looked onward as the path began to become less dark. "Is that…" Midori muttered, squinting. "Light?" Crystals lined the walls and ceiling ahead, Mitama's small magical light reflecting off of them, granting a sort of ethereal glow. If Severa remembered correctly, they were just worthless little gems, but they could keep a place lit up decently enough, so long as there was a light source that they could reflect onto eachother.

The tunnel began to expand, the ceiling raising and the walls growing more distant. They were close. Anna put an arm in front of Mitama, stopping her in her tracks and preventing her from taking a nasty fall down a sudden dramatic decline. The cavern had dramatically expanded now, the ceiling so high up that they could no longer see it, now obscured by shadows. Anna carefully went down the slope, the others following suit.

Once they had reached the bottom, Mitama's light reflected off more of the crystals, illuminating even more of the room. Ahead of them, half soaked in shadow, looming over them, was a gigantic rectangular stone archway, intricate carvings in an unfamiliar language adorning it. Severa and Anna regarded it with an apathy that surprised the Hoshidans. "Well, here we are." Severa took Mitama's book and set it on the ground, letting the light continue to flicker. "This is the way to our home. This is where we came from."

Turning to face the group, Severa felt another grin creeping from her face. "I believe you call it the Dragon's Gate?" Upon seeing the silent reactions, her grin grew wider. "Let's just say that we aren't really from around here."

Azura

She stared down at the note laying on her vanity, grabbing it tightly, as if it would fade away if she didn't. There wasn't enough space to write everything she needed to say, so she made it as simple as possible. It would have to do.

_Not safe here. Please help._

_-Azura_

Where was Shigure? The sun had begun to set, the evening was fading into dusk, and still, he was nowhere to be found. Had something happened to him? Had he been discovered? A million scenarios flooded Azura's mind, instilling panic in her chest. Putting her hand to it, she could feel her heart beating.

Her heart then nearly burst out of her ribcage as there was a loud knock on her door. Gunter's voice could be heard from the other side. "Pardon me, Lady Azura, but your sister wishes for you to dine with her tonight, in her quarters. I am to escort you there posthaste." No, she couldn't go. She had to wait for Shigure. But she knew that if she stayed, it would arouse suspicion.

"Just one moment, Gunter." Azura spoke out, loud enough for him to hear it. Rushing back to her vanity, she grabbed a quill pen from an ink bottle, flipping the note over and scribbling down the intended recipient's name. In truth, she had yet to decide on who it was to go to, but in a moment of desperation, she made a decision. Putting the pen back, she headed to the door and opened it, Gunter's imposing form now standing in front of her. He held out a hand, one which she nervously accepted.

As Gunter led her down the hall, she tried to keep her breathing steady and quiet. "Are you alright, Lady Azura?" Gunter asked, glancing at her as they kept walking. Lit candles lining the hallway would briefly illuminate his face, then leave it in shadow, making it difficult to gauge his expression. "You seem to be quite nervous."

"I'm merely still shaken from the other day." Azura hoped the lie would stick. Thankfully, Gunter seemed to accept it. Continuing down the hall, they eventually stopped in front of a plain wooden door. He stepped aside, gesturing her to go inside. After giving a knock for courtesy, she opened the door, heading inside and shutting it behind her.

This wasn't any sort of dining room. Far from it; it was Lilly's private quarters. Her bed sat against the wall, silk bedsheets and large pillows giving it a lavish appearance. A fireplace crackled on the other side of the room as the only light source, two chairs situated in front of it, partially leaning towards eachother and partially towards the fireplace itself. Sitting in one of them, now looking at Azura, was Lilly. "Ah, there you are. Gunter made good time in bringing you here." She motioned to the empty seat with her empty hand, the other clutching a half-empty wine glass.

Azura skittishly crossed over to the chair, sitting down and noticing a few wine glasses on the table in-between hers and Lilly's. "Have a drink. I may have fibbed a bit when I said we were having dinner; I thought drinks would be a nice surprise." Grabbing a glass, Lilly handed it to her. She meekly accepted, though refrained from taking any drinks just yet. There were a few empty glasses as well, indications that Lilly had already drunk more than a little. "How are you holding up?"

"A-Alright enough, I suppose. I'm still a bit jumpy, though." Lilly didn't display any reaction to Azura's answer, instead running her finger around the rim of her wine glass. "After all, it's not very common for someone to attempt to take your life."

"Oh, you'd be surprised." Taking another sip, Lilly set her wine glass down. "I've been through a few failed attempts myself. Once, one of my butlers attempted to slit my throat during breakfast. Thankfully, Gunter stopped him." The mention of her retainer made Azura grow wary.

"How did you happen upon Gunter? He seems like quite the capable man." It was a thinly veiled attempt to gain more information about the man, but Azura was running out of better options.

"Ah, it's a far less interesting tale than you might think." Lilly seemed to want to end it there, but Azura gave her a look of curiosity. Sighing, the girl grabbed her wine glass and took another sip. "He used to be employed in Krakenburg itself. One of its oldest servants, actually. He'd served in the military, worked as a royal guard, picked up quite the knack for cooking. Then, when that nasty business with King Sumeragi happened, he turned in his letter of resignation. About a decade later, he requested to work for me. Told me that he 'admired my conviction'. Seeing his talent, I hired him on the spot."

"Ah, I see." Azura didn't take a drink of her wine, instead gazing down at the red liquid, gently shaking the glass to watch it sway. Was it okay to tell Lilly? What if she didn't believe her? What if she told Gunter, and then he went to kill Azura then and there? "I wish I had someone as dependable as him. It would have certainly made my life less harrowing over the past little while."

Still running her finger around the wine glass's rim, Lilly sighed empathetically. "Oh, you poor thing. Really, I can't imagine how terrified you must still be, after enduring those assassination attempts practically back to back! Really, even I'd be shaken." As she took another sip of wine, time seemed to slow.

_"Those assassination attempts."_

Azura's voice was barely above a whisper. "How did you know there was more?" Lilly blinked, letting out a confused hum. "There were two attempts, but I kept the first one secret. I never told anyone." Looking up from her wine glass, she looked Lilly in the eyes. "How did you know it happened?"

Lilly was silent for what seemed like an eternity, the only sound being the crackling of the fireplace. Then, she let out a morose chuckle. "Damn me and my weakness for good wine." Her voice was low as her finger stopped running around her wine glass. "I was never very good at carrying my drink. Always makes my tongue loose."

An overwhelming feeling of claustrophobia hit Azura like a shockwave, making her feel like the entire world had been reduced to just her, Lilly, and the fireplace. "Gunter was the one who set the assassinations up. One of the assassins told me. You…you knew."

Lilly's face twisted into a sardonic smile. "Well done, Azura. You cracked the case. And here I thought I'd just be able to poison you before you caught on." Azura looked down at her wine glass, suddenly viewing the substance inside with terror. Lilly had given that glass to her. That particular glass. She set it back down on the table as quickly as she could, as if just touching it was deadly. "Ah well. I suppose less subtle methods will have to do."

"Then why were you so kind to me? Why did you help me, my friends?" Azura couldn't wrap her head around it, her hands beginning to tremble once again.

"I had to keep up the act that I still regarded you the same way. I couldn't make it obvious that I was the one behind your murder, after all. And, of course, I couldn't let you catch on. It's amazing how much a little alcohol can ruin so much effort. Oh, but don't worry; after this is done, I'll be sure to revoke my protection over your friends. Nyx may have gained Iago's favor, but the other one will certainly lose his head." Lilly's tone, the way she carried herself, her inflections, they had all subtlety changed.

After a long while, Azura could only find herself saying one thing. "Why?"

Lilly raised an eyebrow. "Really? You're facing certain death and the only thing you can focus on is  _context_?" Scoffing, she gulped down the rest of her wine, setting the glass on the table.

"Tell me why. At least grant me that request."

She seemed to debate on it, but eventually, she came to a decision. "You're the reason, Azura. I'm not doing this because of power, or money, or anything like that. I'm doing this because it's  _you_." The roaring fireplace made shadows dance over her face as her smile began to fade. "I truly did enjoy my time with you as a child. I was naïve, blissfully unaware of the consequences that came with mingling with you. Only when my mother collapsed onto the dinner table, coughing up blood and foam from a poisoned meal did I grasp the truth. But you?" Lilly chuckled, leaning back in her seat.

"You suffered nothing. Mean words and petty insults were all you ever received. Nobody would dare touch a legitimate heir to the throne. Not while all us bastards were still squabbling over who was going to stay standing. And then, one day you were whisked off to Hoshido, living like you were one of their royal family. I had to keep fighting every day. I had to learn to wear a mask, to know who to help and who to stab in the back."

"I-I suffered too. I lost my mother, I faced the scorn of everyone—"

Lilly interrupted her. "What you faced was equivalent to a slap on the wrist compared to me! That, on its own, was enough to make me grow to despise you. What really made the difference was father. He loves you. You may hate it, but he does. He cares  _so much_  about you, even though you've done  _nothing_  to deserve it. I've fought tooth and nail to get to where I am, and I'm still fighting every day. And you know what?" She let out a desperate laugh.

"He's never even looked at me! My own father has never so much as acknowledged my existence! I might as well be dead along with my mother! Leo, Camilla, Elise, they all survived that hell along with me, and they've earned his respect, his attention. Why haven't I? What haven't I done to earn some sort of acknowledegment!?" There was a fury in her voice that Azura never could have believed was there.

Lilly seemed to calm down for a moment, sitting up. "And then, you came back. After all those years, treating the Hoshidans like your true family, never even bothering to see your siblings at the gala, he  _embraced you_. He loves you more than any of his children, and yet you've done NOTHING to deserve it!" She slammed her fist down on the table, making the wine glasses shake. "That's when I knew what I had to do. He cares about you more than anyone. If you died, he'd have no choice but to pay attention to whoever killed you. He'd have no choice but to pay attention to  _me_. I'd plant just enough hints for him to figure it out. And then, finally, I'd be acknowledged."

Azura stared in disbelief. "…That's why? That's why you're trying to kill me? For  _attention_? Because father doesn't care about you!?" She couldn't believe it. How could Lilly have become so petty, so conceited, so disgusting?

"You wouldn't understand. That's your problem, Azura. You could never understand what it's like to be one of us. You haven't struggled. You haven't lost. Not like we have." She took a deep breath, and Azura realized that she was about to call for Gunter. Pushing herself out of her chair, she dove down onto Lilly, knocking her own chair backwards.

A wine glass fell off the table, shattering upon impact. Lilly shoved Azura off of her, scrambling to her feet and kicking her in the ribcage, sending Azura onto her back. She rolled out of the way before Lilly could pounce on her, grabbing onto the table and pulling herself up. She grabbed one of the wine glasses and swung, the glass shattering upon making contact with Lilly's face.

Lilly stumbled back, growling in pain as she put a hand to her bloody cheek. Charging at Azura, Lilly slammed her against the wall, her head hitting the stone wall hard, leaving her dazed. Throwing her to the ground, Lilly got on top of her and wrapped her arms around her throat, squeezing even harder. At first, Azura tried to yank her hands away. When that didn't work, she dug her nails into Lilly's arms, making the girl hiss in pain. Kicking her leg up into Lilly's stomach, she pushed the girl off her, sending her rolling towards the fireplace.

During the commotion, the table was knocked over, a few chunks of wood splintering off as the wine glasses shattered, leaving broken glass all over the floor. Azura could feel shards digging into her skin, but she tried to block the pain out as she crawled over to Lilly, hoping to hit her before she could get up. Instead, Lilly grabbed her by the waist, this time refusing to let go no matter how much Azura punched or clawed or kicked. Moving one hand up to Azura's arm, she forced the girl closer and closer to the roaring fire.

The pain in Azura's shoulder grew hotter and hotter as she felt the fire singe her flesh, inducing a loud cry of agony. It continued to burn as Lilly kept trying to pull her closer. Finally, Azura used her other hand to punch her in the face and claw at her eye. The girl screamed, letting go of Azura's arm so that she could cover her eye. The other hand reached out and grabbed the first thing it could find, a splintered off chunk of wood, and slammed it against the side of Azura's head, making her vision go blurry for a few seconds and leaving her ear ringing.

Azura tried to pull the chunk of wood away, but instead, the two of them rolled away from the fireplace, more broken shards of glass digging into their skin. Eventually, Lilly ended up on top, her eye a dark red as blood dripped down her eye socket and onto Azura's face. The sight of her seemingly deranged sister holding up the plank of wood, ready to strike, triggered something in Azura. Every part of her senses was screaming at her that Lilly was going to kill her. Lilly, her childhood friend, her  _sister_ , was going to kill her. Her pendant glowed an iridescent blue as she managed to shove Lilly off of her and onto her back with strength she shouldn't have had. Azura followed after her, kneeling over Lilly, grabbing the plank of wood from her hand, feeling splinters dig into her palm.

Letting out a guttural cry, Azura swung down. Lilly screamed in pain as Azura pulled back and swung down again. Another scream accompanied her swinging down yet again. It had quieted to a whimper as she swung another time. She swung again, and Lilly let out a desperate, terrified sob. Another swing. Lilly choked something out, something that sounded like begging. Azura didn't listen and instead swung again. This time, no words accompanied the choking, only a croaky groan. She swung down again, growling in fury. Blood splattered against her face, her clothes, her hands, the floor around them. She swung again, feeling the splinters sink deeper into her skin. She swung again, and Lilly was no longer making any sounds. She swung again, feeling something break at the impact. She swung again, and again, and again.

Tears were streaming down Azura's face as she kept swinging down, feeling the wood crack and break from the force. It still held together, however, and so Azura kept swinging until light flooded into the room from behind her. Even then, she kept swinging until someone's voice rang out. "Azura?"

Azura stopped, her hands violently shaking as she twisted her head around to see Camilla, standing in the doorway, Azura's note in her hand, staring at her with an expression of abject horror. She looked down, seeing how her white clothes were soaked in red. She could feel her heart beating without even having to touch her chest. Her pendant had stopped glowing, and her sense of claustrophobia dissipated, leaving her aware of the world around her.

The chunk of wood fell out of her hands as she melted into a mess of tears, sobbing and wailing. Camilla rushed over to her, wrapping her arms around her, seeming to care little about the blood she was soaked in. Azura tried to speak, but nothing coherent could come out. Gently rubbing the back of her head, Camilla tried to calm her, but even her own voice was now trembling. "Shh, it's alright. It's alright now. It's okay. You're okay. Everything will be alright."

The image of Lilly after Azura had stopped wouldn't leave her mind. The memory of her doing that to her replayed over and over in her head. Amidst her grief, Azura managed to choke out a few words. "No, it won't."


	36. Back For More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today is Azura's birthday! Makes me feel kind of bad about what I've put her through.

Severa 

They were coming. They were coming and they were going to kill Severa and everyone else if they didn't run. But for some reason, she couldn't. Instead, she froze, panic overwhelming her senses and leaving her incapable of moving. She could hear her friend calling to her, shouting something that she couldn't quite make out.

"We have to go, now! It isn't gonna stay open much longer!" Someone else screamed in her ear, barely audible amidst the chaos unfurling around them. Dust billowed past her, getting caught in her hair and stinging her eyes. Temporarily blinded, she felt someone grab her hand and yank it, sending her falling backwards. Then, everything went white.

The whiteness faded, replaced with an oppressive darkness that left her unable to even see her own body. Her breathing was loud and ragged, only accompanied by the sound of her own heartbeat. She paused, looking around to see only pitch black. With her throat dry and her lips cracked, she shouted. "GUYS!?"

"Severa!?" Inigo could be heard somewhere to her left, groaning in pain. "Where are you? I can't see a damn thing!"

"This place is gloomier than my profit margins…" Anna could be heard somewhere in front of Severa, sounding rather annoyed. "I've still got my lantern! Lemme just…" Some sounds followed, likely Anna fishing through her supplies. "Aha! Found it!"

"H-Hold on!" Owain exclaimed. "I've got a fire tome! If I can just find the thing…" After a few more moments, they were finally graced with light as flame ignited above Owain's tome. It shone onto the crystals lining the cavern, lighting up the surrounding area and giving her a good look at the others. Before it could go out, he rushed to Anna's lantern and used it to light the candle inside, keeping the dark at bay.

The Outrealm Gate stood tall, unchanged, but the environment around it was different. This wasn't the same place they had come from, it couldn't have been. Where were the trees, the open sky, the others?

Upon reaching that thought, it became all Severa could focus on. She could see Inigo, already helping Anna to her feet in another one of his countless efforts to woo her. Owain was busy triumphing over his fire spell. Anna was giving Inigo a backhanded compliment, one that he seemed to shrug off with ease.

Nobody else was around. "Hey, guys?" Severa asked worriedly, getting the attention of the others. "Where is everyone?" They all took note of the absence of the rest of the group, the same creeping fear that was in her now sinking into them.

Anna gazed up at the high ceiling of the cavern, crystals hanging from it and glowing brightly from the lantern's light. As Severa looked around for some kind of exit, she knew that something was very, very wrong. "Where are we?"

* * *

 

"I still can't believe you're from another world!" Mitama exclaimed, walking next to Severa through the streets of the town. Angrily, Severa slapped her over the back of the head, making the girl whimper in pain.

"Quiet! Jeez, you're not very keen on subtlety, are you?" Taking a moment to calm down, Severa took a deep breath. "Just…don't go around shouting it on the mountaintop. We changed our names, even though we didn't need to; that's how cautious we've been. I'm not about to let you blow our cover because you don't know how to whisper."

"R-right," Mitama spoke in a much softer tone. "sorry, sorry." Severa sighed again before continuing.

"We don't know what happened to our friends. We all went through the gate at the same time, we were all headed to the same place, but they didn't show up here. Something must've gone wrong, and the gate wouldn't work anymore. We were stuck. So, we had to figure everything out, and fast. These people gave us some funny looks for the first few days we were here. Once those bandits attacked and we drove them off, they stopped giving us those looks."

"Anna didn't change her name, though…"

"Yeah, well, she's too damn proud of it. She said something about how she 'refuses to soil the Anna name by throwing it away', or something like that. We couldn't convince her, so we just had to let her do whatever she liked. We needed someone to stay here in case the gate started back up, and she was more than happy to fill the role. I think she just wanted to open up another shop as quickly as possible."

"So, wait, you came from the future?" Mitama's excitement could barely be contained. "Just like us!?"

"Yes, but not really." Severa found she sighed a lot when she was talking to this girl. "Yeah, we were traveling back in time. Basically, our world went to shit, and we didn't have any way of fixing it. So we were gonna use the Outrealm Gate – sorry, Dragon's Gate – to go back in time and fix things. We didn't use Deeprealms or any of that, we took a more direct route. Problem is, the four of us didn't wind up at our intended destination."

"Jeez…so you've been stranded here for years, not knowing what happened to your friends? That sounds awful…"

"Yeah, it does. So don't remind me." The response came off as a bit meaner than Severa intended. She knew the girl really did feel bad for her. Then again, she also hated being pitied. Mitama went quiet after that, which she was grateful for.

Why on earth did they have to go shopping for a blanket? Sure, the green-haired bean sprout caught a cold, but Severa found it absurd that Anna somehow had no blankets on hand. It cost her an arm and a leg too; it was rather obnoxious to learn that the absurdly high prices in these shops hadn't changed since her last visit. No wonder Anna had flourished here.

The hairs on Severa's neck stood up, forcing her to stop as her instincts screamed at her that something was wrong. Her hand reflexively reached down to her sheathed blade, gripping the handle tightly. Mitama had stopped as well, noticing the sudden caution she was displaying. That's when someone came from the shadows of an alley, hand axe swinging down at the Hoshidan.

Severa unsheathed her blade, swinging right at the attack and knocking the assailant back. Upon getting a good look at the attacker, she cursed under her breath. Beruka stood up straight, the grip on her axe so tight that her knuckles were white. "Beruka, drop the weapon." She tried to keep her voice steady as she stepped between her friend and Mitama. Glancing behind her, she motioned for the girl to run. There was a moment's hesitation, but Mitama obeyed, escaping.

Beruka tried to pursue, but Severa moved so that she was once again between them. "Selena. You…you betrayed Lady Camilla?" Though her voice was monotone, Severa could hear the rage inside, barely contained.

"I betrayed a sociopath who had ordered us to slaughter people for no good reason. I don't kill kids, Beruka. And it's Severa, by the way." Beruka seemed to want to gouge her right then and there, but she hesitated. "Listen, we're still friends. I hate you a lot less than I hate most people. Plus, I've studied the way you fight. So how about you drop the axe?" A quick survey of the surrounding area showed that any villagers that had been in the area had quickly fled. Good; it meant she wouldn't have to hold back.

"I've been studying you too. Don't forget that." Beruka didn't want to fight, that much was clear. But at the same time, it was equally clear that she wanted to chop Severa to pieces for what she did.

"I'm not gonna ask again, Beruka. Drop the damn axe." Holding her sword out to illustrate her point, Severa tightened her own grip, ready to retaliate should Beruka rush at her. Luckily for her, that was exactly what happened. As Beruka swung at her, Severa swung under the head of the axe, catching it with her sword and sending Beruka's arm back, forcing her to step away to avoid breaking her arm.

The counterattack didn't work for long, as Beruka was quickly charging for another attack, swinging upwards. Backstepping, Severa kicked, hitting the retainer's kneecap and sending her to one knee. Before she could follow her attack with another, Beruka sprung up to her feet and at Severa, headbutting her in the chin and making her bite her tongue.

Severa stumbled back, tasting blood as she wiped her mouth with her arm. Getting an idea, she kept walking backwards, Beruka approaching slowly and cautiously. Bumping into a merchant's stand, she reached back with her free hand and grabbed the first thing she could find, throwing it. The item, a cooking pot, went flying right at Beruka, forcing the assassin to duck and giving Severa time to close the gap and attempt another attack.

As Severa swung down, Beruka rolled out of the way, getting back up to her feet in a flash and charging yet again. Damnit, how was she supposed to get a decent swing in when Beruka was being so damn aggressive? Severa held up her blade and deflected the blow, but Beruka corrected herself before she could leave an opening, swinging again and forcing her to stay on the defensive.

As Severa deflected and parried blow after blow, she noticed that Beruka's breathing had gotten heavier. She saw the beads of sweat running down her brow. She must've wasted no time in getting from Izumo to here, never stopping to eat or drink or sleep. That meant she was even more exhausted than Severa was. With this knowledge in mind, she kept deflecting Beruka's blows, waiting her out. It didn't take long for the attacks to become slower, sloppier, with openings that became wider and longer.

Finally, Severa took advantage, grabbing Beruka's wrist and squeezing tight, leaning in and slamming her forehead against the assassin's. The pain was unbearable, but at least she had time to prepare for it, unlike Beruka, who crumpled to the ground, clutching her head in agony. Severa then swung her leg out, her foot connecting harshly with Beruka's face, sending her down onto her back.

Taking a step closer, Severa raised her blade, ready to strike down. Then, she saw Beruka's face. The girl looked up at her with a cut on her forehead, blood dripping down to the bridge of her nose. Her eyes were filled with anger, but there was a grief to them that Severa hadn't expected. It was as if they were asking her why she did it, why she betrayed her trust. She had hurt Beruka in a way she didn't think she even could, and the realization of that made her hesitate. Grunting in frustration, she flipped her blade in her hand, striking down with the pommel and connecting with Beruka's head, knocking her out.

She took a few moments to catch her breath, sheathing her weapon and prying Beruka's axe from her hands, strapping it to her belt. She couldn't just leave her here; she was as much a danger to the villagers as she was to Severa and the others. "Damnit Beruka…" She bent down, and with a deep exhale, lifted the girl up, hoisting her over her shoulder. Remembering when she had carried a drunken, unconscious Soleil back to camp, she sighed. "Why do I always gotta carry people around?" Stumbling a bit before regaining her balance, she headed off to the Dragon's Gate, trying to ignore the concerned looks she was getting. And here she had thought they had gotten past the point of getting looks from these people.

Leo 

The sight of Lilly's body was not a pleasant one. That was coming from Leo, someone who'd immersed himself in dark magic, fought brutal battles, and had executed his fair share of prisoners. How had Azura even managed to do this sort of damage? The wound she had left was more indicative of a brigand with an axe, not a frail girl with a chunk of wood. Camilla had already taken her away by the time they had arrived, leaving them with nothing to go off of aside from the scene of the incident and an inconsolable Azura's story that had been passed on to them.

Xander seemed to be equally mortified. "Azura did…this?" Leo found it hard to tell if his brother was worried more about Azura or for the safety of others. "I never thought her capable of such brutality."

"She was acting in self-defense." Leo reminded. "If it were any of us, we would've likely done worse." That may have been somewhat of an exaggeration, but his point stood, nonetheless. "I can't even imagine what kind of trauma she must have gone through. She never did have many friends, and for her most cherished friend to try and murder her…I can honestly understand why she reacted so brutally."

Xander sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "I'm more worried about what this will do to her from a legal standpoint than an emotional one. If the wounds were less severe, it would be easy to claim it was self-defense. But this makes it easy for one to claim Azura may have been the aggressor." He had a point, unfortunately. Murdering a royal was one of the highest crimes in Nohr, punishable by a slow, painful death. Of course, if Azura could prove it was in self-defense, she would be fine, but as Xander said, it certainly didn't look like that's what it was.

"We have Camilla's word to go off of, at least. That should help." Leo reasoned, his brother nodding. It was surprising how quickly Camilla had returned; it was a good thing as well, considering what may have happened to her otherwise. "So much has changed so quickly. It seems everybody we know is showing their true colors. First Peri, now Lilly…" He blinked, realizing that Peri likely wasn't a good subject to discuss. "My apologies. I know you must still be—"

Xander interrupted. "What happened to Peri was regrettable. When I recruited her, I…I truly did believe I could help her." Leo couldn't even begin to imagine how crushing it must have been. Peri was the daughter of nobility, her apathetic parents wanting nothing to do with the process of raising her. They let her have whatever she liked and let her do whatever she liked with no consequence, just to avoid dealing with her. When her mother was killed by an assassin posing as a household servant, things turned for the worse.

Xander had been visiting Peri's father when he learned of her. She had developed terrible tendencies, such as throwing tantrums over the slightest thing going wrong, often becoming needy and irritating, and killing the occasional maid who she didn't like. Her excuse was that they reminded her too much of the one who had killed her mother. He decided to offer her father the opportunity to place her under his charge, hoping to put her on the right path. It was the one thing reminding Leo that his brother still had hope.

"Perhaps…" Leo paused, taking a breath. "Perhaps we should leave it to Camilla to tell Elise. She always was the best at breaking bad news." He said he was going to stay by her. He still was going to. He just…couldn't bear to see the look on her face when she would find out. She never knew Lilly particularly well, but she would mourn nonetheless, because she simply hated her family being hurt, no matter who they were.

Xander nodded once again. "Perhaps that would be for the best." Even as they agreed, Leo couldn't help but feel like everything they did was driving them further away from their sisters, no matter how good their intentions were. Camilla had very visibly and purposefully kept them away from Azura. Elise, no matter how much Leo tried to help, was still carrying the weight of everything around her. Azura was just out of his reach, just beyond his help. It felt like they just kept drifting further apart. What would happen when they became out of reach?

Leo tried again in the morning to talk to Azura, but when he knocked on the door to her room in Krakenburg, Camilla emerged, adamant about their sister needing space. Xander had no time to spare for conversation, his time spent in Lilly's estate having already left him with plenty of extra work piling up. His retainers were both busy with various tasks and responsibilities. This left him in quite the predicament, as he found himself having a need to talk to someone for the first time in a long time.

Eventually, this desperation sent Leo to someone he would have never gone to willingly under any other circumstance. "My, my." Nyx mused, a cocky grin etched onto her face. "I expected you to come crawling back for more, but I certainly wouldn't have guessed you'd come back so soon. How long has it been? Two days?" She barely glanced up at him as she flipped passively through the script of a play.

Leo began to speak. "I'm here because Azura—"

Nyx's interruption was swift and harsh. "I'm fully aware of what happened to Azura. I swear, rumors in Castle Krakenburg travel faster than light. Though, I suppose that's to be expected. The more things change, the more they stay the same."

"Something strange happened, something I can't quite figure out. I've tried to ask Azura, but my elder sister refuses to let anyone see her."

Letting out an amused chuckle, Nyx flipped another page of her book. "Ah, that makes sense." Leo raised an eyebrow, but it was doubtful she even noticed. "Let me guess: you're wondering how Azura managed to bash her sister's head in? How she was able to summon that sort of strength? Who's to say that's unnatural, however? I mean, you've seen how easily a watermelon can be broken, and it's remarkably similar to a human skull."

"Azura's no fighter. She's never received any kind of combat training. I do remember her having somewhat of an affinity for magic, but I don't believe that was ever developed. So how was she able to overpower Lilly, someone who I know for a fact has had combat training and has gone through her fair share of assassination attempts?"

Leo's question was answered with another question. "How did she fight off around a half dozen trained assassins on her own? She seems far more capable than you realize." The smug look on Nyx's face made it clear as day that she knew exactly how. "Oh, and here's the most intriguing question." She turned her head to face him, slightly leaning towards him. "Why did only one of those dead assassins have a wound from a weapon? The others had no visible wounds whatsoever. Quite curious, don't you think?"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Leo sighed. "I've had enough of you keeping your secrets. It's time to start talking, or I'll send you back to the guillotine." He wasn't very proud of resorting to threats at that moment, but he was desperate.

"I call your bluff." Nyx glared at him, her grin fading. "If I die, all the secrets I know die with me. Then you'll be left in the dark until it's too late."

"Too late for what?"

Nyx seemed to find that question particularly amusing. "Oh, it's just so adorable when I see that look of confusion on your face. I wish I could capture it, but I'm no artist." Looking back to her book, she paused for a moment. "Oh, I suppose I can be charitable and give you at least a little bit of help." She flipped another page. "How is it that your father knows these things? Who, or, I suppose I should say 'what', gave him this knowledge?"

What did she mean by that? Leo tried to reflect on it, thinking of the ways her question could be interpreted. After a moment, an idea came to him. "You can't mean…Bölverk?"

An almost malicious giggle escaped Nyx's lips. "Well, well, look at you, placing the puzzle pieces together. Divine Weapons are sentient after all, though the level of sentience isn't quite the same. I mean, the Fujin Yumi is much more 'alive' than Siegfried is, for example. However, all eight of them are still driven by the same purpose, the same desire. This purpose was etched into their very being by the one who created them. I suppose it's not too much of a leap to assume your father wishes to achieve this purpose?"

"What does he want to do? What is he trying to achieve?" Leo could feel his heart racing, a mixture of fascination and dread filling his chest as Nyx began to slowly spill out her secrets.

Nyx clicked her tongue, wagging a finger. "Ah ah ah, I can't let you know  _everything_. Not until I get what I want out of you. Though, I suppose I can leave you with two more questions to really get your mind racing. First," She held up a finger. "who's wielding Bölverk now? And second…" She held up another finger. "Why has this person suddenly gained such an interest in Azura?"

Camilla? What did she have to do with all of this? If father learned the truth of the Divine Weapons from Bölverk, and Camilla now had it in her possession, then she must've found out what was really going on. With that knowledge, Leo found Nyx's second question to be far more worrying.

Azura 

"It's alright, now." Azura had lost track of the number of times Camilla had said that to her, but she still felt like she needed to hear it one more time. Curled up on her bed, washed up and in a new set of clothes thanks to her sister, she found it hard to muster up the desire to do anything. She couldn't stop thinking about Lilly; what she had said, what she had done, what Azura had done to her, it wouldn't stop replaying over and over in her mind.

Camilla gently set a hand on Azura's shoulder, rubbing it. "Lilly's retainer has been imprisoned. All of her servants are being monitored. You're safe now. Everything's okay." Azura knew this wasn't true, but she wanted to believe her sister. She wanted those soothing words to really mean something and not just exist as empty promises. "She can't hurt you anymore."

Only because Azura hurt her first. Only because she killed her. She found herself clutching her pendant tightly, her hand trembling. The memory was a blur whenever she tried to focus on any part of it aside from her sister, but she knew that something had happened to it. It was glowing, something it only ever did if she sang. Something it only ever did if she used its magic.

Was that what happened? Her throat didn't hurt, but perhaps she was still too busy stumbling through her guilt and grief and terror to truly notice. Her heart still felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. "Your pendant." Camilla's voice startled her, making her look up into her sister's eyes. She looked so caring, so kind. "May I see it?" After some deliberation, Azura nodded, letting go of it. Her sister grabbed it with delicate fingers, running her thumb over the gem contained within. "It's simply beautiful. I still wonder where your mother got it."

"It was a family heirloom." Azura's voice was still soft and dry, supported by a desire to speak that was almost nonexistent. She found it hard to muster up the enthusiasm to even answer Camilla's questions.

"Ah, I see. That makes sense." Camilla seemed somewhat lost in her own mind, still running her thumb over the gem. "It truly is a treasure. So much power in something so small." Azura felt her breath get caught in her throat. She opened her mouth to speak, but Camilla continued before she could. "Oh yes, I know about its power. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." She offered a reassuring smile before returning her attention to the pendant. "What did your mother tell you about it?"

It was strange, hearing Camilla so curious about the pendant. Still, she cared so much about Azura. She had been so kind, she was the one who had kept telling her everything was okay. Azura remembered Lilly again, and she wanted to wretch. "She…didn't tell me much. Just that if I sang to it, it would keep me safe."

Breathing out a sigh of pity, Camilla gently shook her head. "She must not have had enough time to tell you more; what it is, its name…"

"It has a name?"

Camilla nodded. "It is called Dísir. This pendant is so much more than you think it is, Azura. It's important. I'm glad you have it; I couldn't think of anyone I would trust more to keep it safe." Azura mouthed the name.

"How do you know this? Why…" It was strange; Azura couldn't understand why Camilla was telling her this, but she still trusted her. "Why are you telling me this, now?"

"I only learned recently. As for how, I'm afraid I can't tell you. All will be made clear soon though, I promise." Camilla let go of the pendant and moved her hand to Azura's cheek, tilting her head so that they were looking eachother in the eye. "I need you to listen carefully. Can you do that?" There was a worry to her voice, one that wasn't there before. Azura nodded. "Father has been lying to us. Keeping things from us. He's the reason Lilly did what she did. You know that, right?"

What was Camilla talking about? Of course father was keeping secrets, but the way she was talking about it made it sound like it was far worse than she knew. Was she wrong, though? Lilly tried to kill Azura because father had never paid attention to her, never loved her. She thought it would have earned her recognition. Why couldn't he have just said something to her, looked at her? As Azura thought of her sister, the image of what she had done to her reemerged, making her wince.

"Listen to what I'm about to say very carefully. You can not trust father. He does not care about you. He does not care about me. As soon as we've fulfilled our roles, he'll toss us out. You can't trust him, nor anyone else. I'm the only person you can trust. Do you understand?" What was going on? What was so serious that Camilla was acting like this so suddenly? "You sent that letter to me. You didn't even know if I had returned yet, but you trusted me enough to believe I would receive your letter anyways. Did I let you down?"

"N-no." At first, Azura had regretted addressing it to Camilla. After all, she knew that her sister was out on a mission. Why did she think she would get it? But she did, she did, and she came, and she embraced her and told her everything was alright.

"Of course I didn't. I didn't let you down then, and I won't let you down now. You can trust me, so  _trust me_  when I'm telling you that you can't rely on anyone else, not right now. I'm here for you, and I'll keep you safe." That wasn't true though, right? She had Shigure, she could trust him. But Shigure could only do so much, being forced to operate in the shadows. He couldn't keep her truly safe, not like Camilla would.

"Camilla, what's going on? What's happening?"

"I can't tell you. Not yet. I've requested for us to meet father. I'll show you just how much he's been hiding from you. You'll understand, soon. For now, you need to rest. Can you do that for me, Azura?" There was too much happening too fast. She couldn't handle something like this, not now. Not when she still couldn't get Lilly out of her mind. So she nodded, deciding to just follow along with what Camilla wanted.

Smiling in relief, Camilla moved her hand away. "Thank you, Azura. I need to go now, but I'll be back. Just know that I won't be far. You'll be alright now." Azura didn't want her to leave, but she nodded again, feeling her hands start to tremble once more. Her sister gave her one last sympathetic look before exiting the room, leaving her alone and once again terribly frightened.

Azura wasn't sure how long it was before there was a knocking on her door. "Azura?" Leo spoke, opening the door and stepping inside. "Azura, are you alright?" She almost looked up at him, but she found the idea of it to be too much to muster the energy for, so instead, she just stared ahead as usual. "I tried to see you sooner, but Camilla insisted you needed time to yourself." He walked over to her bedside, kneeling so that they were at eye level.

"I'm fine." Azura lied, her voice delicate and fragile. "I'm alright." Leo paused in deliberation, his lips pursing.

"Has…has Camilla said anything strange to you? Anything that sounded odd?" The question confused Azura. How did Leo know? Why did he want to know? Camilla had told her not to trust anyone but her; did that extend to Leo as well? "Azura, I need to know if she's been acting strangely."

"I…" She swallowed, blinking rapidly to try and expel the hints of tears from her eyes. "I thought you wanted to see if I was okay. Wasn't that why you came?"

"I do want to see if you're okay, but I—"

"You don't care, do you?" Her accusation silenced Leo, who looked at her with concern. "You never cared if I was okay. You just want to get information out of me, and then you'll leave. Isn't that right? If you really cared, you wouldn't have brought me here."

His voice softening, he glanced down. "Azura, I…you know I didn't mean to…"

"Didn't mean to do what, Leo?" Her voice was still soft, but it was quivering more and more with every word she spoke. "Didn't mean to bring me back to this place? Didn't mean to make me a target? Didn't mean to lock up my friends, knowing they could have died? Didn't mean to let Lilly try to murder me?" Blinking no longer helped dispel her tears. "Everything that's happened is your fault, Leo. I never wanted to come here, but you forced me to come anyways. Why should I believe you care about me?" Camilla was right. Azura couldn't trust Leo. Just like father, all he wanted to do was use her. He probably only brought her back to gain favor with father.

Silence filled the voice that Leo's lack of a response left. Azura wasn't sure if he was deciding on an answer, or if he simply had nothing to say. "Did…" He stopped, clearing his throat. "Did Camilla tell you that?" Her heart threatened to burst, anger running through her arteries and out to her body.

"Get out." Her voice was low and dangerous. Leo tried to say something, but she stopped him, looking right at him and repeating herself. "Get. Out." She was going to kill him. By the gods, if he didn't get out, she was going to kill him. She was so sick and tired of everybody using her, manipulating her, endangering her, just to achieve their own ends. He was no different, and she wanted to kill him for it. She wasn't sure if she was telling him to leave for her own sake or for his, because she felt like she was inches away from trying to tear his throat out.

Azura's intent must have come across to him, because he carefully and quietly stood up, walking to the door. As he opened it and began to step out, he paused, glancing back at her. "I'm…sorry."

Azura's voice was barely audible as she spoke. "I don't care." He left after that, and she was alone once more. That was when she noticed that her pendant had been glowing again. Its light diminished as she grabbed it, holding it up to look at it. Had Leo seen it? Did he know something about it? As the light vanished fully, Azura kept looking at it, repeating its name once more. "Dísir…"


	37. The Cover of Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, just letting ya'll know that there's something in this chapter that might possibly make you uncomfortable. I won't spoil it if you don't wanna know, so skip down to the end notes if you do.

Camilla

Two visits to make, not much time to make them. Camilla would be lying if she said she wasn't annoyed by how strict her timetable had become. She'd need to pick one to prioritize. The first visit was ripe with opportunity, a chance to make everything ahead easier. The second would be significantly harder to achieve any progress with, but it was fertile ground. Best to plant a seed early, so it can bear fruit when one needs it.

She simply couldn't make a decision, and the longer she waited to do so, the more she was wasting away her opportunity. So, as she had come to do in situations like this as of late, she decided to get a second opinion. Gripping Bölverk tightly, she closed her eyes, letting the world around her get drowned out. It didn't speak to her; rather, it showed her things. Images, people, the other Divine Weapons, and so much more. They were always accompanied by an inexplicable understanding of exactly what it wanted to tell her.

A vision of Azura formed in Camilla's mind, as if it were a picture frame rising up from murky water. Now that the reasoning was in her head, she understood fully why this was the better option. Azura was someone who could be convinced, and being convinced was a far better outcome than anything else. Her eyes fluttered open, and she headed for her sister's room.

Camilla didn't bother to knock. She wanted Azura to see her as someone who didn't  _need_  to knock, because there was no reason to worry about her. Opening the door and letting light flood in through the crack, she gazed at her younger sister, asleep, but shifting uncomfortably, a grimace on her face. It wasn't hard to deduce that she was having a nightmare. Stepping closer, she gently placed a hand on her sister's arm. "Azura. Azura, wake up."

The girl shot up from her bed, letting out a panicked cry that faded into erratic breathing. Her body seemed to heave up and down with each breath she inhaled and expelled, while her eyes had a look to them that resembled a cornered animal. Most interesting of all, however, was that her pendant had begun to glow again. Even beyond that, it had started to float, gently rising little more than an inch above where it normally rested. What could Azura have been doing to draw that sort of power from it? "Azura, it's alright! It's just me. You were having a nightmare."

Azura didn't even seem to notice what Camilla was saying. "No, she's coming, she's coming right now, oh gods, I don't want to do this! Please don't make me—" Her ranting only stopped once Camilla embraced her, rubbing the back of her head. "I…I thought I was…" As her breathing began to slow, the light of her pendant dimmed and eventually went out, falling back down.

"I'm so sorry you had such an awful dream." Speaking in a comforting tone, Camilla ended the embrace, taking a step back. "Are you alright, now?" After a moment's hesitation, Azura nodded, though it was easy to tell that she was simply trying to put Camilla at ease.

"What are you doing here?" The question came off as wary, but Camilla knew Azura simply was still shaken. "Do you need me for something?" As she asked, she moved her hand to her other shoulder, gently running her fingertips over a fresh burn scar from her encounter with Lilly. Burns never healed very well.

Shaking her head, Camilla gave her sister a smile. "Do I need a reason to check up on you? I was simply already around, so I thought I should see if you were alright." She wasn't fond of lying to Azura like this, but a lie to earn her trust far outweighed the alternative.

"I'm quite alright." Azura was lying as well, so Camilla took comfort in the fact that she wasn't alone.

"Well then, I'll be on my way." Heading to the door, Camilla made sure to move at a slower pace than she normally would. It gave more time for her sister to think.

"Thank you." Azura spoke meekly, just as Camilla was moving to close the door. They looked at eachother, and Camilla offered up an encouraging smile, saying nothing. Closing the door behind her, she took a deep breath, then headed off to her second destination. She was running out of time. The meeting with father was approaching, and if she didn't have her plans ready by then, everything would fall apart.

Bölverk was quick to offer its own thoughts on her interactions with Azura. From its point of view, she was being too soft on her. She was treating her sister with too much care, too much attentiveness. More drastic action needed to be taken. She couldn't afford to get so attached.

Camilla was quick to remind it that Azura was her sister, meaning she certainly wouldn't stop caring about her. It knew the real reason why, however. Before she could protest, it forced the memory she loathed to visit back into her mind. The murkiness faded from it, revealing an older woman, her hair the same violet color that Camilla's was. "Are you paying attention?" She snapped, her gaze terrifying Camilla.

"Y-yes, mother!" The young girl exclaimed, walking behind her mother. The woman moved confidently through Krakenburg's halls, while Camilla couldn't help but be nervous about even looking at someone the wrong way.

"How do you think you're going to grow stronger if you're too busy being afraid of your own shadow?" The question was harsh, but it was the one kind of discomfort that Camilla had grown somewhat used to. "You're the daughter of royalty, not some shriveling mouse. Act like it."

"Yes, mother." Holding her hands together, Camilla straightened her posture, kept her chin up, and put on a brave face. What were they even walking to? She had asked, but her mother had simply berated her for asking questions. Perhaps it was best to not care. Then again, if she didn't care, her mother would chastise her for not putting enough effort into her life.

Passing by one of the gardens, Camilla spotted a girl around her age with blue hair sitting down by the flowers, holding a daisy. She paused for a moment, raising a hand and giving her a hesitant wave. The girl looked up, noticing and nervously waving back. "Camilla!" Her mother had continued on without even looking back. "Stay by me." Giving the girl a regretful look, Camilla quickly ran back to her mother, returning to a pace that matched hers.

After enough walking to make her feet hurt, they finally arrived at their intended destination. Her mother opened a door and stepped into a dining room, another woman and what Camilla assumed was her son, judging by their auburn hair, already seated at the table. The woman smiled. "Ah, it's lovely to see you two!"

Her mother's demeanor had changed completely, now relaxed and friendly, lacking any sort of hostility. "You as well, Elenora. I see Sebastian has been doing his fair share of growing!" The boy beamed at Camilla's mother, then Camilla herself. She felt less worried the second his eyes made contact with her own. It was just dinner, thank the gods.

The two of them were quickly seated across from their hosts, and Camilla's mother began to engage in small talk with Elenora. Sebastian and Camilla would occasionally glance at eachother, each time accompanied by his bright smile and her nervous eyes flickering away. "Yes, well the air in that region grows much less stale during the summertime. You simply must go there someday!" Her mother laughed, then glanced to her. "Oh! I believe my daughter has to use the restroom. Do you know where it is?" She set her hand on Camilla's, gently holding it.

"But mother, I don't—" Camilla stopped, wincing sharply as her mother's grip tightened to the point of hurting her. Her mother didn't need to speak for her to understand the message.  _Don't argue. Do what I say._  "Y-yes, I do need to."

Elenora smiled. "Ah, it's back by the kitchen. Take a left and it'll be across the hall." After thanking her, Camilla's mother got up, still holding her by the hand, escorting her down the hall. Along the way, they passed by one of the butlers, who her mother bumped into. The man apologized, but her mother insisted to him that it was quite alright. Before he walked away, Camilla noticed there was something new in his vest pocket, but she didn't speak up, for fear of angering her mother.

They didn't go to the restroom. Instead, they stepped into the kitchen, currently empty. "Here." Her mother fished two flowers out of her pocket, handing them to her. "You see that teapot over there?" Looking to where her mother was pointing, Camilla saw the teapot she was referring to. "Crush the flowers in your hand and drop them into the pot. Quickly, now."

Camilla almost considered asking why, but she decided against it, not wanting to face any further berating for the time being. Instead, she did as her mother asked before quickly hurrying back. Before she could speak, her mother had taken her hand again, leading her back to the dining table. "Thank you for your help! Camilla appreciates it. Right, dear?" Once again, Camilla could feel her mother's grip tightening around her hand.

"Yes. Thank you, ma'am." It was difficult to not let her pain be shown in her voice, but Camilla seemed to avoid any suspicions. Her acting ability had improved, thankfully. Sitting back down at the table, it wasn't long until their meal was brought out; a vast array of meats and fruits were laid across the table, arranged to look as delicious as possible.

Camilla was quick to dig in, having not been used to enjoying meals of this quality. Her mother was more reserved, cutting small bites of her meat before chewing them slowly. The rapid pace at which Camilla was eating made her grow thirsty rather quickly, and so she reached for her cup of tea. Her mother's hand was quick, slapping her hand away before anyone else could notice.

It was only a few minutes later when Elenora began to cough. She covered her mouth with a napkin, but the coughing refused to die down. Eventually, she pulled it away, allowing Camilla to see the splotches of red scattered across it. The woman's panicked eyes looked at her mother's and widened in shock. "N-no, you—" She was interrupted by another forceful cough, one that made Sebastian get up from his chair, rushing over to her.

"Mother!? Mother, are you—" Sebastian didn't finish, letting out a rough, choked cough of his own. Elenora tried to say something to him, but her coughing fit sent her buckling over the table, blood splotching onto the food in front of her. Sebastian soon collapsed to the ground, sparing Camilla the sight of whatever was happening to him.

Looking to her mother, Camilla saw a terrifying grin upon her face, one that was soon replaced by faux mortification. "Oh, gods! Help, someone help! Lady Elenora and her son have been poisoned!" By the time the servants arrived, Sebastian had already gone silent, while his mother was pale, tears streaming down her face as she tried not to fall off her chair.

One of the maids escorted Camilla and her mother out of the dining hall, asking them to return to their own rooms for their safety. Her mother protested, but was remarkably quick to relent, grabbing her hand once more and leading her away. Once they had walked for long enough, her mother spoke. "Excellent work, Camilla. Perhaps there's hope for you yet."

"Mother, what was that?" Camilla may have been young, but she was far from naïve. They were dead. "What…what did you do?"

"Me? I didn't do anything. You're the one who poisoned their tea. Oh, don't worry about being caught. I planted another one of those flowers in a butler's vest pocket. He's likely already been found out." The words came out like they meant nothing at all. Camilla stopped walking, her breath going unsteady. Her mother kept on, uncaring. "What did I tell you about looking like you aren't terrified of a gust of wind? Hurry up!" Flinching, Camilla hurried after her mother, trying to push the truth out of her mind. It didn't work.

The vision faded, and Camilla was left in the present, now a grown woman.  _Don't show me that again._  She stopped to collect herself before continuing onward. She knew full well why Bölverk had shown her the memory of her mother. It was to show why Camilla truly wanted to keep Azura safe. She wanted Azura to have someone who could comfort her, keep her safe from the world; someone that Camilla never had.

Finally, she arrived at the last place she needed to be. She unlocked the door and stepped inside of the well-furnished room, alerting the man inside. He scrambled out of his bed, getting into a defensive stance in spite of his lack of any weapons. "Peace, Prince Takumi. As I've told you since the beginning, we mean you no harm."

"Like I'm supposed to believe that." Takumi growled, staring daggers at her. She paid him no mind, reaching into her satchel.

"Father has given you a gift, to show his well-meaning intentions. I believe you'll enjoy it." Giving Takumi a wink to throw him off-edge, Camilla removed the black eyepatch from her bag, setting it down on a small table. "When he learnt of your injury, he requested you receive something to properly cover that garish wound."

"I don't want your damn pity presents."

"What you want doesn't matter. I thought you'd have realized that by now." She flashed a patronizing smile. "Though, I'm not opposed to your behavior. I find that kind of anger to be incredibly adorable."

That tripped him up for a moment, leaving him silent. "You said your father is doing this to try and get me to cooperate with him. Why should I believe he means well when you've told me that?"

Shrugging, Camilla headed for the door. "Why should you, indeed? Frankly, I see no reason myself. Then again, you could trust him just to spite me. That sounds very much like something you would do." Before Takumi could snip back, she stepped out of the room, promptly shutting and locking the door. She'd leave him to stew on that for a while; men like him were always more willing to comply when they thought the orders of others were their own idea.

Odin

"That will be all for today." Nyx abruptly snatched the tome from Odin's hand, her strength surprising given her surprise. "Lesson over. Go do whatever it is you do when you aren't here." Tossing the tome back into her stack of books, she climbed partially up until she found the book she was looking for.

"But I was starting to understand! Just give me more shot, I know I can pull it off!" Odin followed after her, but she quickly shot him a menacing glare, making him stop. "Please, just once more. I can get the spell right."

"Whether you can or cannot is not the issue here." Sliding down the stack of books and approaching her desk, Nyx sat down and opened the book up. "The issue is time; yours being up, more specifically. I have other matters to attend to."

"You mean reading." Odin grumbled, finding the whole situation to be rather unfair. He had truly learned quite a lot from Nyx, but she seemed to treat him as if he was nothing more than a distraction from her real desire, which seemed to be reading every book she could find.

"I mean studying. I, too, still have things to learn." Already, she was a few pages in. "And I'd like to have the time to learn them." She sat up straight, huffing. "Besides, this is your last lesson."

The last one? That couldn't have been right. "You mean the last lesson for a while, right? You need a couple weeks' break, and then you'll resume lessons. Right?"

"Wrong. This is the final lesson. I will not teach you anymore." Everything about Nyx's behavior suggested she was hesitant. "It's not for any fault of your own. You were…a decent pupil; decent enough to make some sort of progress, anyway. You won't change my mind. I don't care if you complain to Iago. I don't care if he throws me back in the dungeon. Lessons are over."

It was difficult for Odin to even find a way to respond. So much confused him, but most surprising of all was the hint of genuine kindness Nyx had displayed when she had referred to him as "decent". "At least tell me why."

Nyx closed her book before turning in her chair to look at Odin. "I won't. However…" The hesitation she was displaying only became more prominent. "I suppose I could impart final words of advice. Consider this the most important lesson I'll ever teach you." With rapt attention, he listened carefully. "I've already explained to you that dark magic is the manipulation of death and decay. At the same time, it can be used to restore life, to a certain degree. A nosferatu spell is the only way this has been achieved, however. You bothered to remember this, correct?" He nodded. "And what do you suppose happened to the other attempts?"

Odin thought on that for a while before giving a nervous answer. "They…perished? I'd assume painfully and horrifically, as well. That's the lesson you want to teach me, right? To not meddle with the power to restore life."

"You are half-correct. That most certainly is my lesson, but the fates of those who tried to defy death and exploit the powers of life that dark magic could grant were far worse than simply perishing. The kinds of torture they endured went beyond mere death."

Odin had suspected for a while, but what Nyx was saying now only confirmed his suspicions. "You tried it, didn't you? You attempted to exploit death?" There was a moment where it seemed like she was about to grab the nearest tome and use it to blast him into oblivion, but the anger cooled.

"…Yes. I was one of those fools. I attempted to use the powers of death and decay to grant myself power. And just like all of the other fools, there was a price to be paid. Though…" Nyx's voice drifted off, as if she were recalling the memory of whatever happened to her. "I wasn't the one to pay it."

"It worked, then? That's how you've lived so long."

"Indeed. However, you misunderstand my point. Odin," She took a step closer, and he noticed the look in her eyes. They were tired and weary, as if she had been carrying far too heavy of a burden for far too long. "this is my punishment. This is the torture I deserve for what I did."

"I'm…sorry." Nyx's gaze forced Odin to look away, finding it too much to look at for so long. "I've only dredged up terrible memories, haven't I?"

"You have. However, if it has helped you, I am fine with it. This is my lesson, Odin. This is what I've been teaching you all this time. Do not meddle with powers beyond yourself. Do not believe you are beyond others out of sheer hubris alone. Do not let your ambition keep you from seeing the path you are going down."

Opening his mouth to say something, Odin was interrupted by someone knocking on the door to Nyx's study. "Odin? Are you in there?" Siegbert said from the other side. What could he have been doing here?

Nyx closed her eyes. "Go. You seem to have other matters to attend to." She headed back to her desk, taking a seat and resuming her reading. Odin wasn't quite ready to leave, but he knew that even if he did, she would have nothing else to say to him. He looked at her one last time, and in that moment, her hostility was gone. She simply looked…sad.

As Odin stepped outside of the study, shutting the door behind him, Siegbert looked at him with caution. "We think we've figured out where Soleil is. Come on, everyone's already gathered together." Odin could only stammer in confusion as he followed his fellow retainer through the castle until they reached one of the storage rooms. Inside were Laslow and Velouria, both looking at him as he entered. "Show him what you found, Velouria."

Nodding, the wolfskin girl gave Odin a piece of parchment that contained a list of each prisoner in Krakenburg's dungeon, along with their respective cell numbers. He scanned the list, but Soleil's name was nowhere to be found. "I don't understand. What's there to see?" He asked.

Velouria pointed at a part of the list. "Look. Two prisoners organized next to eachother on the list. One is in cell twenty-six, while the other is in cell twenty-eight. Where's cell twenty-seven? Not just that; look at the date." The list had been organized after the day Soleil vanished. "I stole it yesterday from one of the prison guards. It's definitely recent."

"You think she's in cell twenty-seven, then?" Odin asked, getting a nod from Velouria. He looked up at the others, as if asking the same question. They both nodded as well. "Then let's go down there and see!" He could already feel an excited fire beginning to spring to life inside of him.

Laslow held his hands up. "Woah, easy there Odin. It's still broad daylight. Best to do this under the cover of night, so we don't have to deal with as many people. The dungeons will likely be just as populated, but everywhere else should be a tad bit sparser, and certainly easier to go through without being seen."

Clearing his throat, Siegbert got the group's attention. "I should remind you all that what we're planning to do could and will be described by some as treason. If Soleil is down there, and we break her out, we'll be harboring a fugitive. If she isn't, and we get caught, we'll likely lose our jobs at best and be jailed ourselves at worst. Then again, if she is, whoever is behind this could have us executed so we don't spill any secrets." The reminder wasn't a pleasant one, making even Odin a bit more apprehensive about it. "If you don't want to take this risk, I understand. However, you have to make the decision now."

Everyone took a moment to consider their answer. The first to answer was Velouria. "I'll go where you go. I always will." Walking up to him, she planted a brief kiss on his cheek. Laslow grumbled something about getting a room, before speaking up himself.

"Well, she's my daughter, so I've an obligation, don't I?" Despite the uncaring nature of his question, it was easy to tell he was simply worried for her. Laslow was quite the empathetic person, even if he tried to hide that whenever he wasn't flirting with someone.

Odin stood up straight, flashing a heroic smile. "It would be unbefitting for the great Odin Dark to simply stand by and let injustice occur! Of course I'll assist!" The air in the room became considerably more relaxed now that everybody was in agreement. However, a knock on the door created a renewed sense of tension amongst them.

The doorknob turned, and in stepped Jakob, giving them all a glare that somehow was both neutral and accusatory. "Well now, I never assumed you all would be so quick to commit treason. I suppose my assumptions of your characters were incorrect."

Siegbert was the first to speak up. "…You were listening?" Jakob nodded. "And…what exactly are you going to do about this?" At first, Jakob didn't say anything, leaving the four of them to stew in unease and worry. What was going to happen? Would they have to tie him up, leave him gagged in some closet? Would they have to fight him? Would they have to do something drastic?

"I am going to do the only thing I would naturally do. I will assist you in your endeavor." The shocked silence of Odin and the others induced a frown on Jakob's face. "What? If Soleil is truly imprisoned without proper cause as you believe, then exposing whoever committed the deed is of utmost importance. Corruption of that sort cannot be allowed to flourish."

Laslow sighed. "So what you're saying is you want an excuse to gain more favor with the higher-ups." Jakob cleared his throat, growing a tad bit nervous himself as he adjusted his collar. Of course he couldn't have just wanted to help out of the kindness of his heart.

"Yes, that as well. Not to mention that if this does turn out to be a false assumption, you'll need help to make sure you don't get found out. Consider it a favor from me." Odin didn't exactly trust Jakob as far as he could throw him, and he had the feeling the others had the same opinion. However, he knew their secret, and excluding him would give him a good reason to voice their plans to Prince Leo.

"Fine." Siegbert agreed through gritted teeth. "You can help us. But know that if you try anything, I will-"

"You won't need to do anything, Siegbert, because I won't be trying anything." That was hard to believe, but Odin tried to give his fellow retainer the benefit of the doubt. He had saved Selena back at the canyon, after all. Even if it was out of duty alone, that had to count for something, right?

Corrin

The ride to Windmire was quite possibly the most agonizing thing Corrin had ever endured in her life. That included the time when she was tortured for a week until Niles and Rinkah broke her out. At least her torturer didn't have any pet cats wandering around. And at least those cats weren't gigantic and terrifying and evil and demonic and oh gods she just wanted it to stop.

It felt almost like a dream; that made sense, since Mozu told her she had passed out from fright around two dozen times over the course of the trip. She had vomited a few times, too, but Mozu always made sure her head was leaning out of the back of the wagon before it happened. She had heard stories of people conquering their fears by indulging in them, but she knew she was not one of them.

What was most embarrassing of all was that the bobcat didn't even seem all that aggressive. It yawned a lot, sure, and its eyes were seemingly locked onto Corrin whenever it was awake, but it never once growled or roared. It still terrified her regardless, and that made her feel like a total wimp. When they had first gotten out of the carts, Kana thought she had been injured, judging by her pale face, empty eyes, and shivering body.

At least Corrin was finally somewhere she could feel comfortable; that is, surrounded by ruffians and vagrants, just how she liked it. Finally coming back to Windmire's underground after so much time away was like stepping back into a pair of old boots. Sure, they stank like shit and were close to breaking, but man were they comfy.

She quickly found the old base she had grown up in. It stunk of mildew and rot, all of the furnishings were deteriorating, and the ceilings still occasionally dripped sewer water down on her head. Still, she couldn't help but wallow in nostalgia for her home. The sight of it made her want to go back to better times when it was just her, Niles, and Rinkah, robbing people blind and getting through life by the skin of their teeth.

It took expending every single favor Corrin had, but she managed to secure an entrance into Krakenburg, and a floor plan with areas of interest marked. From there, the infiltration and rescue plan was conceived, all in the span of a couple of hours. She had never worked that fast or hard on a plan in her life, but she knew that the longer she waited, the more danger their friends were in. She had already heard whisperings of Azura's return to the Nohrian Court, and a subsequent assassination attempt. Gods, the nobility really were animals.

At least she had some entertainment in the form of Nina and Forrest to keep her from losing her mind. Something had clearly happened on the ride to Windmire, because suddenly they were sitting a lot closer to eachother, blushing when their eyes made contact, and whispering to one another. If she had to wager a guess, they probably became a couple.

Mozu, meanwhile, looked as nervous as she was when they first met. She kept running her finger over the floor plan, tracing the route she was supposed to take as she mouthed the instructions she had been given over and over again. Corrin thought to ask her how she was holding up but decided not to interrupt.

Kana, meanwhile, looked rather calm. He had covered up his face once again, reminding Corrin that he was the same ninja who had so viciously killed Kotaro back in Hoshido. She had to remind herself that he was her son and that she needed to talk to him a bit more often. "Hey. How're you holding up?" Not a bad conversation starter, but not a very good one either.

"Fine." Kana slightly tilted his head to the side to get a better look at her, leaning against a wall. "Just biding time until the plan commences." He paused, closing his eyes for a few seconds. "You should know that a friend of mine is already here. His name is Shigure; we traveled together for a while, but once you and Azura separated, we did the same. He's her son, in case you hadn't gathered that." She was pleased to see he had inherited some of her classic sarcasm. "Wherever Azura is, he won't be far. If push comes to shove, he'll make his presence known."

"Good to know. Could've told me that days ago, but good to know nonetheless." Corrin chastised herself, realizing that she probably shouldn't have been that rude to her kid. "Really, thank you. I'm glad you stuck around even after the cat was let out of the bag." Saying the word "cat" made her shudder instinctually, her mind flashing back to the bobcat she had to sit by.

"Yes, well…" Kana stopped, shifting slightly. "I suppose my identity had to be known, sooner or later. I had just hoped it could be later; not because of anything you've done, mind you. I simply didn't wish to burden you with the knowledge, nor myself with getting too attached to anyone."

"You're saying you didn't wanna like your mom? Jeez, am I really that much of a bad parent in the future?" Corrin rubbed the back of her head, smiling weakly. "What, did I show all your friends your embarrassing childhood drawings or something?"

"That's not what I—" Kana paused, blinking. "O-oh. You were making a joke." Corrin wasn't sure, but she could've sworn he was cracking a smile. "Right. Of course." She couldn't help herself, bursting into laughter at his embarrassment. At first, he only seemed more awkward, but eventually, he let out a chuckle himself. For a while, they both just laughed, and she felt like she was finally getting to know him a little better. From what she had seen, it sounded like she did a damn good job raising him.

After talking to Kana, everything that Corrin needed to do had been done. All that she had left to do was wait. It wouldn't be long now; just a few more hours until it would be time to get started. They'd find Nyx, they'd find Niles, they'd find Azura, and they'd get them out no matter what. Come hell or high water, she was bringing them home.

Severa

The second Beruka woke up, Severa was kneeling next to her, trying to calm her down, even as she struggled in the rope that bound her legs together and her arms to her body. The others glanced occasionally, but death stares from Severa made them mind their own business very quickly.

Beruka, despite her monotone voice, sounded angrier than Severa had ever seen. "You traitor! Liar! You're siding with the Hoshidans so you can—"

Severa was quick to interrupt. "So I can what, Beruka? Do you even know why I did it?" With an annoyed look, Beruka's eyes dodged Severa's. "Maybe if you shut up and let me explain, you'll get to find out." As she began to fill Beruka in, she couldn't help but notice that Kiragi was watching intently from a distance, his hand clutching the purple bandanna wrapped around his neck. She couldn't help but feel bad for the kid, considering his mom had intended on killing him. She could sympathize with his complicated relationship with his mother.

Beruka processed the information. She took her sweet time doing it, too. Then, she finally spoke. "You're…more complicated than I thought you were. I don't like complicated."

Severa frowned. "You work for Camilla. How on earth do you not like complicated?" Groaning, she massaged her temples, already feeling a headache come on. "Listen, if I was really some evil, coldhearted traitor, then why didn't I kill you in Izumo? Why didn't I kill you here? Why are you still alive?"

"Because you're soft."

Severa scowled at that answer. "Because  _you're my friend_ , dumbass. Friends don't kill eachother just because one of them did something the other one didn't like. You were about to kill half a dozen people, but I didn't kill you, because you're still my friend."

Beruka's face was unreadable. "You aren't the kind of person that has friends."

Scoffing, Severa folded her arms. "You also thought I wasn't the kind of person to go turncoat. You also thought I wasn't from a different dimension. You also thought I'm soft, and let me remind you, Beruka, that I am not soft." Leaning towards Beruka until their faces were inches away, her voice turned into a low growl. "I have gone through shit that would make Nohr's current situation seem peachy in comparison. You think it's bad here, now? I lost everything, Beruka.  _Everything_." She leaned back a bit.

"I remember getting in a big fight with my mom. I said she cared more about the man leading her than she did me. I screamed at her and shouted at her and called her every horrible thing I could think of. She left to go fight, and she never came back. Do you know how much I—" Severa stopped, realizing that her eyes were starting to water. She breathed out sharply, wiping the moisture from her eyes. "Do you know how much I want to take it back? How much I wanna turn back time and tell her I'm sorry? I can't, though. I screwed up, and now she's gone, and I can't change that. I am  _not_  going to let that happen again."

There was a subtle shift in Beruka's expression. She seemed more confused; surprised, even. "What are you trying to tell me?"

"What I'm trying to tell you is that I…" Another sharp breath. Severa was never good as getting all emotional like this. "I care about you, Beruka. I care about you in the same way that I care about Inigo, and Owain, and Anna. I care about you infinitely more than I care about Camilla. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna just let you hate me like this, because I know that if you keep hating me, nothing's gonna end well. Nothing ever does. And it's not just for my sake." With a quick jerk of her head, she motioned to Kiragi, who winced upon being called out.

Beruka looked over at him with a calculating, observant gaze. "What about him?"

Sometimes, this girl could really piss Severa off. "He's your kid. No doubt about it. He's got your bandana, he knows things about you not even I knew, and from what these guys have been telling me about him, he's really damn good at killing stuff. He is  _your kid_  and you tried to  _kill him_. So you're going to apologize, right now." She only got silence in response, making her sigh and soften her tone. "Please Beruka, now is not the time to act like a bitch."

"You're acting like a bitch, too." Beruka's response caught Severa off guard, leaving her stunned into silence. Then, she laughed. It wasn't a morbid laugh, or a sarcastic chuckle, or anything like that; it was a genuine, heartfelt laugh.

"Yeah, I guess I am being a bit of a bitch right now. But you forced my hand, alright? Don't act like you're innocent in all this." For the briefest of moments, Severa could've sworn she saw Beruka crack a hint of a smile. "I want you to apologize to your kid, got it? If you do, maybe I'll consider untying you." Getting up onto her feet, she headed over to Hinoka and Asugi, who were currently standing nearby Mitama as she checked up on Midori, whose cold had only gotten worse. She had her new blanket wrapped tightly around herself, its rather large size practically burying her inside of it.

As Severa opened her mouth to speak, Midori let out a loud sneeze, prompting the redhead to quickly shut her mouth. Gawds, she couldn't even begin to imagine how gross the air around that bean sprout must've been. "So, has Dwyer shown up yet?" All she got were shaking heads. "Great. Just how long are we supposed to wait for this guy?" She held her head in her hands for a second, rubbing her face. When she looked up, she saw wide eyes staring at her. "What? Something on my face?"

A voice from right behind her sent her practically leaping away, screaming. "Hello." When she got back to her proper senses, she saw a white-haired young man who looked like he was in desperate need of some sleep. "Oh, hey you guys. I didn't see you behind that loud girl."

Midori was the first to speak. "Dwy—ah…ah-CHOO!" Instead of continuing her sentence, she simply let out a low groan.

"The one and only. You wouldn't believe what's been happening to me lately. I've been hopping across time and space against my will, and it's really bizarre. I've already seen lots of stuff that I can't make heads or tails of. Like, for example, I met this guy around my age, and then when I hopped again, I met his father; both really cool people, by the way, but man were they ideologues. All they talked about was trying to achieve peace and boring stuff like that, so I just started tuning out and looking at their blue hair. Funny, I met a girl with blue hair too, but she was way less talkative…"

Asugi sighed. "Dwyer, focus. There are some things we need to tell you so that you can tell us. It's…complicated." He began telling Dwyer all of the information he had told them as quickly as possible, with occasional corrections from Midori in-between her sneezing.

Shrugging his shoulders, Dwyer gave a complacent look. "Not really as complicated as you made it sound. Typical paradox. It's better to not think about it since it's one of those things that should definitely be impossible, yet happens anyways. Speaking of time travel, that blue-haired girl actually mentioned she was one. I started asking her about the logistics and mathematics behind it, but she just got all embarrassed and said she didn't know; said it was the power of something or another. Nag..oo, I think? Started with a 'Nag', I'm pretty sure. I wish I could've learned more about it before I hopped again…"

Severa felt her heart skip a beat. All of that sounded so dreadfully, excitingly familiar. It sounded like a friend she hadn't seen in a long time. "Wait, that girl, what was her—" Before she could finish her question, Dwyer was gone, leaving everyone startled into silence. It really was pretty weird to see him just disappear like that. She took a moment to breathe, to collect her thoughts, and to calm her nerves. Then, she turned to face the others again. "Alright, what the hell do we have to do to get him back?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Camilla's segment contains some child abuse. Next chapter's gonna have some, too.


	38. Arbiter

Nyx 

Iago had arrived by sunset; not surprising, considering he had a good idea of what Nyx was capable of. Five guards accompanied him, and all of them bore weapons. "Nyx. I thought we had an agreement?" Iago's annoyed tone somewhat pleased the girl, who closed the book she was currently going through, standing up from her chair. "You were supposed to tutor Prince Leo's retainer, and in exchange, I would keep you out of your cell. I've been told you refuse to uphold your end of the bargain. You know what that means."

With a shrug of her shoulders, Nyx picked up the book and walked over to Iago. "I missed the atmosphere of the cell." As a guard came over, presumably to "escort" her out of her study, she gripped the spine of her book tight, gently inserting her finger between its pages.

With a scowl, Iago looked away dismissive. "I'm disappointed, Nyx. Here I thought you had learned to get over yourself. Your ego seems to be just as prominent as it was when I first met you." Ever so slowly, Nyx used her finger to part the book open. She tried her best to steel her nerves.

"I'm disappointed as well, Iago. Here I thought you had learned that my pride, unlike yours, is founded on real skill." With the book open and a guard reaching out to grab her arm, she took a step back and held the book up, reading the inscriptions on its pages. She had considered using a fire tome, but Iago was too smart for that, too well-versed in magic to not know its look. An ember tome, on the other hand, was something only fledgling mages used, and very briefly at that, meaning Iago could have forgotten its design. It certainly wasn't very powerful, but with the right kindling, it could do wonders. A blast of heat and flickering wisps of flame flew at the large stack of books she had been carefully organizing, setting it ablaze. It quickly toppled, spreading the flames to the rest of the room.

With Iago and the guards distracted, Nyx dropped the tome and ran past them, grabbing a key ring off one of the guards before fleeing the room under the cover of the smoke that quickly engulfed the room. She couldn't help but grin as she heard Iago's furious shouting. He always did think himself better than her.

Unfortunately for Nyx, she knew she stuck out like a sore thumb, considering she was rather young-looking; that's why she had perused a book detailing the construction of Castle Krakenburg. She headed for the apprentice mages' barracks, slipping in and grabbing a cloak and pointed, wide-brimmed hat that seemed about her size, getting out before anyone woke up.

Next up was to tie her hair back into a ponytail, to add a small layer to her disguise. It was important that she looked just like an apprentice mage would, otherwise her disguise would easily be seen through. Finally, she had to put on the performance. A guard passed by, and she gave him a beaming smile. "Hello!" He walked by without stopping her, grumbling something about weirdo mages doing weirdo things at weirdo hours.

All was going according to plan. She was sure that Iago was alerting every guard he could find of Nyx's escape, so she pushed her wide-brimmed hat down so that it partially obscured her face. Still, even with her disguise, she chose to stick to the shadows if possible, knowing it certainly wouldn't hold up under scrutiny.

There was still one major problem, however. Iago may have been a fool, but he was less of a fool than most in Castle Krakenburg, which meant he would probably bet on her trying to rescue Niles and Azura. She would likely have enough time to get to one of them before the whole castle was on high alert. Niles was her initial target, but now that she was in the heat of the plan, she realized that going after Azura was simply a safer bet. "Sorry, Niles." She muttered regretfully, hoping she would still be able to get him out. She wasn't counting on it, however.

Laslow 

As it turned out, being stealthy with Odin around was not the best idea. Every other minute he would start whispering about the dangerous, thrilling nature of the mission, and then Siegbert and/or Jakob would shush him yet again. Velouria was, per usual, remarkably silent, managing to outpace them all while enduring significantly fewer close calls. Though, she did almost get caught while curiously looking at a dust bunny in a nondescript corner.

Getting into the dungeon, however, was going to be a much harder task. The entrance was currently staffed with two guards, each one not moving an inch from the doors. This, combined with the oddly high amount of guards they had seen on the way, indicated that something strange was going on. Security was never this high unless there was a breach. Great, just what they needed.

As they all stayed back, whispering to eachother and trying to figure out how to get in, Laslow made a keen observation; both of the guards were women. With a wily grin, Laslow stepped out of the shadows and, much to the horror of the others, brazenly walked over to the two guards, who quickly stood up straight and held their spears out. "Halt!" One of them shouted. "Name and business for coming here, now."

"My, my, no need to be so tense! Frowning like that is only going to create wrinkles, and it would be a shame to see such pretty faces fall to such a fate." Turning his seductive charms up to eleven, Laslow continued to saunter over to the guards, who both looked both cautious and utterly confused. When they didn't lower their spears, he sighed, realizing he'd have to keep it up. "Of course. My name is Laslow, and my business as of right this moment is acquiring the names of you two lovely ladies."

"Laslow?" One of the women seemed to recognize that name. "You mean, you're Prince Xander's retainer!?" A nod of Laslow's head made the woman grab her fellow guard and whisper something in her ear. She pulled herself away, clearing her throat. "What, er, can we do for you?" Suddenly, she seemed much keener on talking. His charms must've been working!

Perhaps it would be best to ask for more pertinent favors. "Well, you see, my colleagues and I need to attend to some business in the dungeons. The thing is, it's a bit, how do you say…hush hush." The guards looked at eachother, then back to Laslow. "It'd mean the world if you would let us in. Oh, and keep it between us, of course."

"O-of course!" The other guard stammered, fiddling with her key ring until she found the right one, unlocking the door to the dungeons. "Right this way, sir." Success! Laslow knew his charm would work like a…erm, charm. The others nervously stepped into sight, making the guards more nervous, but still compliant.

Laslow approached one of the guards. "Oh, and also…" Grabbing her key ring from her, he gave her a wink. "I'll be needing this." Twirling it around his finger, he descended the stairs into the dungeon, whistling a merry tune.

Velouria, able to see perfectly fine in the growing darkness, quickly caught up with Laslow, looking at him. "Just so you know, they weren't actually into you." Hearing that made him flinch a bit, remembering her keen senses and ability to pick up on things humans wouldn't. "They probably just wanted to suck up to you for a chance at a promotion."

"You can believe whatever you want to believe, Velouria. I choose to believe that they were lovestruck by my presence, and let me in so that they could gain my affection!"

Jakob spoke harshly. "No, they were sucking up to you." Laslow's enthusiasm deflated further as the others didn't speak up, seeming to be in agreement. Rubbing his forehead, he refocused on the issue at hand. The first cell was empty, just as the Velouria's list described. They kept walking through the dingy corridors of the dungeons, various threatening and creepy looks being given to them by its various inhabitants. At least criminals weren't exactly trusted when giving testimonies, so them being witnesses wasn't much of a concern.

Siegbert muttered the number of each cell as they walked by it. "Twenty-three…twenty-four…twenty-five…twenty-six…" They all stopped in front of the cell they were looking for. It was too dark to see very far in, but Velouria had no issues.

"It's…" she muttered, squinting. "empty." She wasn't there? No, that couldn't be it. There had to be something else going on. Why else would the list be skipping number twenty-seven?

A new voice called out to them, coming from behind the bars of a cell. "Pardon me, but I couldn't help but overhear your dilemma. You're looking for cell twenty-seven, right?" They glanced over, but none of them wanted to acknowledge the prisoner's presence. "C'mon, don't give me the cold shoulder here. I'm trying to help you." More silence. It sounded more like he thought they were dumb enough to let him go without a good reason. "Listen, you're looking at the wrong cell. Twenty-seven's off somewhere else. I happen to know where that 'somewhere else' is."

 _That_  got their attention. Laslow took an uneasy step closer to the man's cell. "How would you know where it is? And why on earth would we trust someone who's been locked down here?"

"My friend got put in there, for a while. She's out now, but she mentioned it to me; said it was actually not too bad for a Krakenburg cell. Twenty-seven's a high priority cell, which means it's gonna be apart from the others and in its own special spot. Get me out, and I'll take you there." Laslow took a few steps closer, trying to get a good look at the cell's inhabitant. The man, in turn, stepped closer to the bars, showing off his weathered face and worn eyepatch. "So? Whaddya say? Buddies?"

A few minutes later, the group was following Niles, who sauntered around with a shit-eating grin that made Laslow want to punch him more than he usually wanted to punch insufferably smug people. Jakob was a close second, though. They turned a few corners, walked a little way further, and found themselves facing a steel door, locked tight. Niles walked up to it. "I doubt your key ring's got something for this. The key's probably in the hands of someone important. Lucky for you, I specialize in the "entering" part of breaking and entering. Do any of you have something thin and metal I could use? A hairpin, an unusually thin knife, something like that."

Siegbert looked at Velouria. "You showed me a broken hairpin the other day, didn't you? Do you still have it on hand?"

The wolfskin girl's face shifted to an expression of annoyance. "Yes, but it's one of my treasures! I'm not just gonna give it away!"

"Velouria, give me the hairpin."

"No."

"Velouria, now is not the time to argue about this. The hairpin, now."

"Nu-uh."

"Please?"

"Nope."

"Do it for me?"

Velouria heaved a heavy sigh, reluctantly reaching into her cloak pockets and pulling out half of a hairpin. "Alright. For you." She handed it to Niles, who nodded in appreciation before getting to work on the lock. "Soleil had better be in there…" There was a decent stretch of time where all that could be heard was the clicking of the lock as Niles fiddled with it. Laslow was hesitant to trust the man, but he seemed to be holding true to his word.

Nobody spoke; out of fear of breaking Niles's concentration, or because they had nothing to say, Laslow wasn't sure. For himself, he just had too much on his mind to talk. Hell, he was only just now really coming to terms with the fact that he had a daughter from the future. He never was very good at dealing with sudden change, despite the fact that his childhood was full of those.

An especially loud  _click!_  punctuated the silence, followed by Niles standing up, turning to the group, and bowing. "No need to applaud; your smiling faces are reward enough." His sarcasm was especially annoying at this point, which was probably exactly what he wanted. "Well, I've fulfilled my end of the deal. I'll be seeing you!" He casually walked past the group, until Siegbert stopped him, grabbing him by his collar. "There may be more locks. Until we're sure, you're staying right here."

Nobody made any moves to approach the door, perhaps out of anxiety for what lay behind it. Laslow knew that he'd have to be the one to do it. Soleil was his daughter, after all, and that gave him the natural responsibility to make sure that she was safe. He opened the steel door, listening to it creak as it swung slowly. Beyond it was a room, split in half by steel bars with a smaller, albeit also locked, steel door. The door, however, was not what Laslow was paying attention to.

Behind the bars, in the corner of the room, curled up in a ball and wearing a torn, tattered prisoner's outfit, was Soleil; the pink hair made her unmistakable. "Soleil? Soleil!" Laslow ran to the bars, gripping them as the girl groaned, waking up from her slumber.

"Who's…" Rubbing her eyes, she looked over at the bars, seeing the group. "Oh…oh gods…" Stumbling to her feet, she hastily ran to the bars looking at them frantically. "It's really you…" Her eyes were already beginning to water, her pale face making Laslow's heart wrench.

Siegbert looked to Niles. "Get to work." The thief nodded, getting on his knees in front of the new door and getting to work. "Soleil, we're gonna get you out of here. Who did this to you?"

"Iago, he—" She stopped, letting out a gasping sob. "He heard I was leaving, so he knocked me out, a-and brought me here. He says that I can't leave, that I'm too important to leave. He said it's because…because of my mother." Laslow's eyes widened, but Soleil continued before he could interject. "Siegbert, they've got Rhajat with them. She's working for them, she's telling them every secret she knows. She heard us talking about my mother."

Niles finished his work, standing back up. "Alright, my end of the deal's fulfilled. Ain't gonna stick around here another second." He ran out, and nobody bothered chasing after him. Not even Soleil bothered to say anything about it. Perhaps they'd come to regret that later, but at the moment, Laslow couldn't care less.

Velouria opened the door and ran up to Soleil, wrapping her in a tight hug. "We were so worried about you!" The embrace was gladly returned by Soleil, who looked like she was doing everything in her power to not break down into a sobbing mess.

Once they had separated, Soleil looked to Laslow. "Father, I…" She looked down. "I'm so sorry…"

"Sorry for what? Soleil, you've nothing to apologize for. None of this was your fault."

Her voice began to quiver. "No, it's not that! I should've told you who mother was, I should've warned you. She's in danger, and I should've trusted you to keep her safe!" Danger? What kind of woman was her mother, to be involved in things like this?

A new pair of footsteps caught everyone's attention, sending their gazes over to the entrance to the room, where Iago now stood, a wide grin upon his face. "Tut, tut. Soleil, I thought you'd know better than to spill your secrets. It's a good thing I was here to stop that from happening. And honestly, I'm quite surprised by you five. So many royal retainers, all committing such heinous crimes at once? Why, this is one for the history books, I'd imagine."

Odin stepped forward. "You're the criminal, Iago! You kidnapped Soleil against her will without her having even committed a crime."

Jakob was next to speak. "I always knew you were a special sort of scum, but I must say that my opinion of you has somehow fallen even further."

Iago's grin only seemed to grow wider. "Oh, whatever do you mean? I committed no crimes. In fact, I imprisoned Soleil with the king's personal blessing!" The shocked expressions on everyone's faces only made Iago grow smugger. "I was told to keep a few persons of interest in this castle no matter what. You gave me trouble, so I was forced to take more drastic measures. Honestly, if you had just stayed put, none of this would have happened!" Holding a tome, his voice dropped in pitch. "I came here looking for an entirely different criminal, but I suppose you'll have to do. In the cell, now. All of you."

Siegbert snapped back. "There's not a chance in hell that I'd surrender to you!" Iago gave a look of faux disappointment before casting a fire spell, sending everyone out of the way. Amidst the confusion, he took hold of Soleil, unsheathing a dagger and holding it to her throat.

"Ah ah ah, I wouldn't come any closer if I were you." Iago warned as he stepped backward, towards the exit. "Sure, my orders were to keep her alive, but unfortunately, I may have to tell King Garon about the unfortunate circumstances surrounding her murder at the hands of her fellow retainers. We wouldn't want that now, would we?"

Everyone had drawn their weapons, with Velouria gripping her Beaststone tightly, despite the room not being large enough to support her bestial form. Every step back Iago took had them all stepping forward, out of the hall and into the main dungeon. "Come now, where do you think this will end? I'll keep moving until we encounter the guards, and I'll order them to arrest you. You'd be better off running now." He had a victorious look in his face as he stared them down, with Soleil wincing as his dagger pressed just hard enough to draw a single drop of blood.

Then, from behind him, Laslow noticed some sort of strange light. It was either getting larger or coming closer, flickering a brilliant purple. It almost looked like – no, it  _was_  a flame. Not just that, but it surrounded a  _person_. This person, a girl with white, braided hair, held a bow in her hands that looked as if it was made out of bone. She wore a threatening expression with vibrant amethyst eyes. Iago noticed the light, spinning around to face her, despite leaving himself vulnerable. "Y-you!? You're—"

The girl interrupted. "Let her go." Then, she raised her bow, letting what looked like an arrow of pure flame form in her grip, nocking it and pulling back on the bowstring. "Now."

Nina 

Why did she and Forrest have to get stuck with checking the dungeons? The dungeons were gross and cold and uncomfortable. That didn't bother her very much, but she knew that it bothered Forrest.  **"Why don't you get a bit closer, warm him up?"**  She sighed, ready to call Skadi if something were to happen.

**"So, what're you gonna tell Niles when you find him? 'Heya pops, it's me, your daughter from the future who lied about it! Hope you missed me!' Or are you gonna keep lying until Corrin spills the beans?"**

Nina gave it some thought, but couldn't come to a solid conclusion.  **"You'll have to come up with something, and soon. I doubt it'll take much longer to find him."**  Just thinking about telling her father the truth made her feel…gods, she couldn't even think of a good word to describe how she felt. It was nothing positive - that, she knew for sure.

Of course, they had to run into trouble. It was just Nina's luck, really. Four guards were ahead, and on high alert, judging by how quickly they spotted her and Forrest. She summoned Skadi, firing an arrow and hitting one of them square in the face, while another was blasted away by Forrest's fire tome.

Just when Nina thought the rest would be easy, another group of guards arrived, this time numbering a half-dozen.  **"Well, that's just unfair."**  Ignoring Vara, Nina nocked another arrow, pulled back, and fired, taking down another. Forrest was casting spells as quickly as he could, but he could only work so fast. The guards were shouting something, but she wasn't listening, concentrating on taking them down as fast as possible.

"Nina!" Forrest's shouting snapped her out of her focus, drawing her attention to the still-increasing number of enemies. What could they all be doing down here!? Behind the grunts, new outfits could be seen. "Dark mages!?" Forrest stepped back, casting another spell. "Nina, what do we do!?"

Nina grunted in annoyance, firing another arrow. This one bounced off armor, leaving just a blackened dent. Cursing under her breath, she started stepping backward as well.  _A little advice would be just dandy right about now, Vara._

 **"I dunno, shoot faster?"** Nina sighed, continuing to try and fend them off. With every soldier she took down, the rest just started coming quicker, enraged by the deaths of their comrades.  **"Alright, alright, I've got an idea! Listen, you're still learning my in's and out's. You're good, but you can only do so well with your experience. Meanwhile, nobody knows me better than me."**

 _What are you saying?_  A blast of dark magic came flying at Nina, forcing her to roll away. Forrest was becoming more panicked, which made his spells come slower as he struggled to properly concentrate on his tome.  **"Remember back with Fenn? I mentioned killing him for you. Let me take the reins for a sec, handle these guys for you. I can take them down in no time at all."**

 _Okay, how the hell do I do that!?_ **"Just give me permission. That's all I need. It's like a vampire coming into your house, only I'm not gonna suck your blood."** _Now is not the time for shitty metaphors!_ **"Simile, but whatever. Just hurry!"** _Fine, fine! You've got my permission!_

Suddenly, Nina felt different, as if she was pulled back from her own eyes and forced to watch through them like a window. Everything around her was pitch black, to the point where she couldn't even see herself. She tried to move but found herself unable to. Meanwhile, through the window, she could see her limbs moving, a fire starting to erupt around her body. Her body started firing at a speed that almost didn't even seem human, shooting the soldiers down one after another with ease and a strange grace.

It wasn't long before she was on the offensive, rushing towards them as they tried desperately to escape, only for her to hit them before they could get away. Finally, what seemed to be the last of them fell, leaving bodies scattered all over the hallway. Whatever prisoners were in nearby cells shrunk to the very back in terror. Nina tried to speak, but she felt like she had no mouth to do so. Instead, she tried to talk to Vara through her thoughts.

 _Thanks for the help. I owe you, big time._  There was no answer, only silence.  _You doing that thing where someone stands all silent and stoic after a hard-fought battle? I get it, you've got my ego, you can stop now._  Still nothing. A sense of dread began creeping up her spine.  _Vara? You there?_

 **"…I'm here."**  The dread began to recede as she heard Vara's voice.  _Alright. So, how do I get a hold of the reins again? Do I just wish it, or is there like, complicated steps?_  There was a pause, followed by an answer that seemed almost smug.  **"You don't."**

 _…What?_  What was that supposed to mean?  **"You don't take back control. You're gonna stay there, nice and cozy."**   _Vara, what're you doing? What's going on!?_   **"I'm taking advantage of your stupidity, that's what's going on. You really trusted a talking bow to take over your body? Honestly, what kind of idiot does that?"**  Her attitude was different, now. Her voice had a cruel edge to it, one that Nina knew she herself didn't have.  _Vara, what the hell are you doing!?_

 **"Don't worry your pretty little head about it. There's no point in it, anyway. I'm in charge, and you're not. Nothing you say or do is gonna stop me from doing what I wanna do."**  As if to prove her point, Nina watched in horror as Vara spun around, aiming a shot right at Forrest, who stepped back.

"N-Nina? What're you doing?" Forrest stammered as the bowstring was pulled back hard enough to leave the arrow shaking from the tension.

"Sorry, Nina's not here right now. I'd be delighted to pass on a message though, if you'd like." Vara smirked, keeping her aim trained right on Forrest.  _Stop. Stop, right now!_   **"Make me."**  Nina tried, she tried whatever she could think of to get back control, even the most stupid, nonsensical ideas, but nothing worked.  **"You need my permission, Nina. And I'm not giving it."**

Forrest seemed to at least recognize that he wasn't talking to Nina anymore. "Who…who are you? What've you done to Nina?" Vara laughed.  **"Man, for such a cute blond, you think he'd have less of a brain. Oh well, every stereotype has its outliers, I suppose."**

 _Don't hurt him._  Vara laughed again, seeming to find that particularly funny. "I just locked her away someplace where she can't get in the way. Oh, I'm her bow, by the way. Turns out that using a flaming magic weapon is a bit risky. Of course, she knew the risks, she just decided to lie to you about it."

What was running through Forrest's head? Oh gods, what was he thinking? What was gonna happen to him? "Let her go." His voice sounded rather strong, considering he couldn't stop himself from shaking.

"Ooh, look at you, getting all big and scary! I like scary guys. They make me feel so scared and tiny. Then they can come over to me and comfort me and make me feel better. Oh wait, that's what Nina likes, not me."  _Stop it. Stop it!_

Forrest kept trying to put on a brave face. "What do you want?"

"What do I want? Forrest, I'm insulted. You think I'm a millisecond away from piercing your skull because I want something from you? Come on, give me a little more credit!" Chuckling, Vara adjusted her grip. "I just wanna demonstrate to Nina that she doesn't have a say in what she does anymore. What better way to demonstrate that than leaving a big fat hole in your head?"  _Don't! Don't you dare, Vara!_

 **"Maybe I won't. If you beg."**  Nina blinked, dread having overtaken her mind. Was this the real Vara? Had she been lied to, manipulated, the whole time? How could she have been so stupid!?  **"I said, beg."**  Unable to hide her abject terror, Nina relented.  _Please. Please, don't hurt him. I'm begging you, leave him alone. Please…_

 **"Wow, hearing you beg was way more satisfying than I thought it would be! I should start holding your friends hostage more often."**  Vara didn't move, her bowstring still pulled back, Forrest still in her sights.  **"Now, to finish the lesson."**  Time seemed to slow as Vara let one finger loose, then another. In absolute panic, Nina screamed.  _STOP!_  But it was too late. Vara let her arrow fly.

The arrow whizzed by Forrest's face, grazing his cheek, leaving him wide-eyed and breathless. Vara gave a smug chuckle, her bow disappearing as blood began to seep from the cut across his cheek. "Run along, now. I've got some important business to tend to, and a brand-new body to enjoy!" She turned and started walking away, before tilting her head back. "Follow me, and I won't miss this time. Mkay?" Looking back ahead, she paused for a moment longer. "She does love you, you know. More than you could imagine."

Forrest fell down to his knees, silent. Nina could only start to cry as her emotions began to overwhelm her. How could she have been such an idiot? She trusted Vara, relied on her. Was Vara just that charismatic, or was Nina just that stupid? Perhaps it was a bit of both, honestly.  _You lied to me._   **"I was only so good at it because you are. I guess you're too skilled for your own good."**

Watching her body being controlled by someone else now felt sickening, but there was nothing she could do about it; she was just a spectator. As Vara walked further down the halls, purple flame began to surround her, casting flickering light. Eventually, this light illuminated the figures of other people some of whom looked horribly familiar.

One of them, a man that held Soleil with a knife to her throat, spun around to face them. "Y-you!? You're—"

"Let her go." Vara raised her bow and readied an arrow, aiming it right at the man. "We need her alive Iago, in case you forgot."

The man didn't move, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. "Skadi…King Garon said you had reemerged, but I never thought you'd come so soon…"

"I came as fast as I could, but I had to do a little bit of convincing to get my new body. Big brother Bölverk and I have been keeping in touch, so I'm on the level." Vara glanced over at the group behind him, taking note of the recognizable faces, which in turn took note of her. "Jeez, of course, you all had to be here." Her aim adjusted so it was now aiming at them. Nina watched in despair, ready to start begging again if she had to. "Well, Soleil's importance was a surprise, so I suppose I shouldn't kill any of you yet. Not until we're sure, at least."

Aiming up, Vara shot at the ceiling, cracking it and sending rubble crashing down, separating the group from her, Iago, and Soleil. They could be heard shouting and screaming from the other side, but they couldn't get through. She looked to Iago, her bow dissipating. "Be a dear and take Soleil to Garon, would you? I'm sure he'd like to keep a closer eye on her." She didn't wait for an answer, already heading towards the exit.

Soleil whimpered quietly as Iago watched in confusion. "What exactly are you going to do?"

Snickering, Vara started walking up the stairs. "Well, since I'm so graciously allowing you to give Soleil to the head honcho, I need to find a present of my own. Lucky for me, I've got the perfect candidate…"

Azura 

"Are you ready?" Camilla asked, both her and Azura standing outside of father's throne room. In truth, Azura wasn't prepared in the slightest. She felt like she was going to break down at any moment, her heart thumping like a drum, her head feeling light and airy. Noticing her worry, Camilla put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, smiling. "It'll be alright. I'll be with you every step of the way. I always will."

Nodding, Azura took a step forward, the guards next to the doors moving to open them. Taking a breath and hoping for her courage to last, she stepped inside. The first thing she noticed was that father, sitting upon his throne as always, was not the only person inside. Leaning against one of the walls was Leo, Brynhildr in hand, looking at her with what almost looked like concern. "Hello, sisters. I hope you don't mind my intrusion, but I heard about your meeting and thought I should attend. Father's giving me his blessing to stay, so I won't be going anywhere."

Camilla looked at father, trying to contain the annoyance in her voice. "Father, is this true? I asked for it to just be the three of us, and you agreed."

Father, his face looking more weathered than ever, gave Camilla a disapproving look. "I've changed my mind, Camilla. Leo showed an interest in this meeting that I simply could not deny. He's quite curious as to the subject we will be discussing." His gaze turned to Azura. "It's heartwarming to see him care for his sister's well-being."  _She_  was the topic? Camilla had been vague about the specifics of the meeting, but Azura never would have thought it would be focused solely on her.

Camilla clearly wasn't taking the news very well, but she didn't object. "Very well. Let's get started then. Are you aware of the incidents involving Azura as of late? Three assassination attempts, all orchestrated by our sister, Lilly. During the third, Lilly herself tried to do the deed, forcing Azura to strike her down in self-defense."

"Of course I am aware of this. I pay close attention to the events that occur in my court." He sighed, his voice softening. "It is…regrettable. I am terribly sorry, Azura, that you had to endure this. I remember you and Lilly were quite close when you were young."

Azura clenched her fists. "I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, father." That drew everyone's attention, even Camilla, who now looked at her with a confused expression. "You should be apologizing to Lilly. She only did it because you never acknowledged her! She was just desperate for your attention, for even a hint of care from you! She tried to kill me for  _your sake_!"

Garon said nothing, which only served to enrage Azura further. "You're the reason I've suffered, all these years. Your ignorance for the hatred others held for me allowed for it to grow. Your lack of responsibility started the battle for power between your heirs. Your murder of King Sumeragi led to me being kidnapped. Your lack of care for your children led to Lilly trying to murder me. All of it is your fault!" She didn't care if she was punished for her outburst. She just wanted to tell him what she truly thought of him, after all these years. "You're a monster."

"Perhaps you're right. Perhaps I am a monster." Garon's quiet answer took Azura by surprise. "Your pendant. You've taken good care of it, yes?" Hesitantly, she nodded, bringing a hand to it. "That is good. Azura, you—"

Camilla interrupted, her grip on Bölverk tightening. "Father. It's time you tell Leo and Azura of your true intentions. You owe them that much." Her voice was calm, her expression neutral. She was hiding whatever her true emotions were, and Azura wasn't sure she wanted to see those emotions come out. What concerned her more was that Camilla's words implied that she already knew. Just what was she hiding?

Sighing, Garon nodded. "Yes, I suppose I do. Very well. It's time I tell you the story of the sage's legacy."

Midori 

Nobody was sure what to do next. After Dwyer had vanished, they had expected something to happen, but nothing did. With every hour that passed by, the pit that had formed in Midori's stomach grew larger and larger. She couldn't tell how much of that was due to her nervousness and how much was due to her raging cold.

Oddly enough, Severa seemed especially antsy. Something had changed her tune, but Midori couldn't figure out what it was. Perhaps Dwyer had said something that piqued her interest? Either way, she had begun to impatiently ask what was supposed to happen, despite knowing full well that nobody had any idea. For the oldest of the group, she was surprisingly childish.

Midori had hoped to listen in on Kiragi's conversation with Beruka, but the open nature of the cavern didn't give her any ways to sneakily listen in, and she doubted they'd appreciate anyone butting in. Instead, she would sometimes look over towards them, trying to figure out what they were saying judging by their faces, or body movements. There were more than a few times that she was pretty sure Kiragi was crying.

Hinoka approached Midori as she watched, smiling. "How do you suppose Takumi ended up falling in love with someone like her? Honestly, I can't make heads or tails of it." Midori sniffed, rubbing her nose.

"He did tell us that story, actually. Apparently, Beruka was sent to assassinate him, but she failed. She got sent again, and he stopped her again. She kept trying to assassinate him, but every single time, he'd fight back and send her packing. They must've formed some kind of rivalry, and I guess it advanced into something more. Of course, it had to stay secret, so Beruka raised Kiragi on her own, away from the war. I don't even think he met his dad until he traveled back in time with us."

Hinoka scoffed. "That is the most 'Takumi' thing I've ever heard. Of course he'd fall in love with someone trying to kill him. He always gets close to people that realistically, he shouldn't like. But somehow it always works out. Like Corrin, for instance." At the mention of her sister, she looked a bit more downtrodden. "I hope she's alright…"

Midori, despite her cold making her feel miserable, tried to look upbeat. "I'm sure she's A-OK! Nothing could stop her." It seemed to work, giving Hinoka a hint of a smile. "Takumi, too. He's gonna be alright. I know it."

"About that…" Behind them, Severa had approached, wearing a guilty expression, only partially hidden. "Listen, I haven't been totally upfront with you guys. There's…something, but I'm not sure if it's something we need to worry about or not."

"You're not sure?" Hinoka approached, the worry that Midori had dispelled coming right back. "Severa, what are you not telling us?"

"Okay, listen!" Severa stammered. "I…heard Camilla talking about someone. She said she 'doesn't trust him' and that she was gonna 'shift his allies' allegiance' against him. I don't know if that means she was talking about Takumi, or—"

"It sure as hell sounds like Takumi!" Hinoka shouted. "What else did she say?" Severa didn't say anything, looking away. "Severa, what did she say!?"

"She said…she said she wanted to gut him, and that she'd get her chance soon." Midori felt that pit in her stomach swell, threatening to engulf her. "Listen, we don't know if she was talking about—"

"You said he was gonna be safe! That's the only reason we didn't go after him!" The others had started to notice, Asugi, Anna, and Mitama slowly approaching, while Kiragi and Beruka had stopped talking and instead looked their way. "You lied to us because you wanted to get back home, didn't you? You're so desperate to find a way back that you'd let people die to do it!"

Severa shot back, no longer on the defensive. "Like hell I am! I lied to you because going after Takumi would've been suicide! You're a warrior, you should've realized that, but your head was too far up your ass to see it! I had to lie so that your dumb ass didn't get everyone slaughtered!"

It was like a fire was lit in Hinoka's eyes. She shoved Severa to the ground, going down after her and punching her in the jaw. Severa, dazed by the initial punch, wasn't able to stop Hinoka before she landed another one, this time on the cheek. Mitama shouted. "Stop it, both of you!" Reaching up, Severa clawed at Hinoka's face, cutting her cheek. Asugi came in and tried to pull Hinoka off of him, but she shoved him back into Anna, who stopped him from falling. Midori could only watch in horror, feeling that familiar, terrible fear begin to creep back into her. The pit in her stomach was gone, replaced with the intense urge to vomit. Her breathing began to grow unsteady.

Suddenly, a blinding light hit her, forcing her and the others to squint as their eyes adjusted. The Dragon's Gate was shining a brilliant white, the light pulsing and folding in on itself, shimmering and waving. Hinoka and Severa stopped, the former standing up, the latter following a few moments later. Everyone just stared in awe at the light, until eventually, the dark shape of a person could be seen trying to emerge from it. "Guys?" Dwyer's voice rang out.

Midori shouted, her heart beating faster. "Dwyer! Dwyer, we're here!" The smile on her face began to fade as she realized Dwyer wasn't coming out. It was like he was stuck against something.

"I made a mistake!" Dwyer sounded more panicked than he ever had before. "I did the numbers wrong, somewhere! Something's keeping me stuck here, and I don't know how long it's going to be for! The portal might not open when that happens! I'm sorry!"

No. No, this couldn't be happening. It couldn't. Midori couldn't get her friend back, just to lose him again. She couldn't. She couldn't. "You did everything you could! It's not your fault!" No, she should've done more. She could've done  _more_. Why didn't she? Why didn't she help in some way? Why did she have to be so  _useless_!?

No. She couldn't let Dwyer leave. She wouldn't let him. She had to save him, she had to make things right. She was supposed to save people! Dwyer was shouting something else, but she stopped listening. Instead, she ran right towards the Dragon's Gate. She had to save him. She had to help him. She couldn't let him go.  _Take me instead_ , she silently pleaded.  _He's more important than me. I'm useless. It should be me, not him. Take me instead, please._

She stepped into the light, and all of her senses, every inch of her body, was completely and utterly overwhelmed. She felt like she was breaking apart into a billion pieces, morphing and shifting and changing and rearranging. Her arms didn't feel right, her legs, her face, anything. Then, everything went black.

Asugi 

"MIDORI!" Asugi screamed at the top of his lungs, but it was too late. She was gone. The light flared up, as if it were about to engulf them all, then imploded upon itself, shrinking into nothing in a microsecond. The cavern was dark, unbearably so, now only lit by Anna's lantern. It took what felt like years for his eyes to adjust, and all the while, he kept shouting her name, hearing nothing in response.

Eventually, he saw someone laying on their face under the archway of the gate, struggling to their feet. With desperate hope driving him forward, Asugi sprinted over, only to see that it was not his cousin that was there. It was Dwyer. "Oh…what…huh?" He seemed to gain awareness of where he was, looking around. "How did I get out? How did—" He looked up at Asugi, seeing the look of devastation on his face. "Midori. Oh gods, Midori…"

Asugi reached down, picked Dwyer up by his collar, and lifted him up until his toes were barely touching the ground. "Where is she? How do we get her back?" Dwyer opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. Asugi then punched him in the face as hard as he could. "Tell me, Dwyer!"

Coughing from the impact, Dwyer looked Asugi in the eyes. "I don't know how, Asugi. I don't know if we even can. The odds of her coming back in our lifetime, let alone at all, are about as close to zero as you can get. I'm…sorry."

Asugi didn't punch Dwyer again. Instead, he let him go, and crumbled down onto his knees, gasping for breath as tears began to stream down his cheeks. The others all watched with heartbroken expressions as he kept sobbing. He lost her. He swore he would take care of her, and he lost her. She was gone.

Corrin 

Running into Nyx was not something that Corrin would've expected to happen, especially since the girl was roaming the halls of Krakenburg instead of rotting in a prison cell. They both exclaimed the other's name simultaneously, equally shocked at the other's appearance. "What are you doing here!? Aren't you supposed to be in the dungeons?"

Nyx scowled. "I'm in the middle of escaping. I was just on my way to get to Azura. What, did you think I was incapable of forming my own plan?" Corrin sighed, glad to see that Nyx hadn't changed one bit. "You took your sweet time, regardless. Azura's been through hell."

"What? What happened to her!?"

"She was reintroduced into the nobility. One of her stepsisters tried to murder her, and she was forced to kill her with nothing but a plank of wood. I can't imagine that's been very good for her mental state." Oh gods, Azura… "Never mind that. Are you alright? Have you been hurt in any way?"

"No Nyx, I'm fine. I'm just—" Corrin stopped, blinking. "Wait. Why're you so interested in my well-being all of a sudden?" Nyx seemed to have not even realized what she said, going quiet. Odd, but she'd have to press the subject later.

"Corrin!" Nyx and Corrin, upon hearing the new voice, looked over at the direction it was coming from, seeing Nina rush over. "Corrin, Forrest's in trouble!" When she got close enough, she stopped, bending over to take a breath before standing back up. "Is Mozu alright? Does she still have our escape ready?"

"What?" Corrin was a bit taken aback by the sudden barrage of information. "Wait, Forrest's in trouble? What happened?"

"We can talk about that after we make sure Mozu's okay! She might be in trouble too." Mozu was in trouble too? What was happening? There was no way their plan could've fallen through so fast. Then, Corrin noticed Nina's eyes. Since when were they…purple?

Nyx stepped between the two of them, holding an arm out to her side. "Corrin, get back. Right now." Her tone was as serious as it always was, but there was an extra layer of fear. Nothing scared Nyx. Understanding the severity of her order, Corrin obliged, taking a few steps back, and allowing Nyx to back up as well. "I thought nobody would find you, let alone someone with the power to wield you. For it to be Nina…"

Nina grinned in a way that made even Corrin deeply uncomfortable. "You know, when I was first digging through Nina's memories and saw you, I thought I was imagining things. Like, there's no way I was seeing who I was seeing! Maybe I had just gone a little nuts from all that time alone. But here you are, in the flesh! How long's it been?"

"Too long." Nyx growled.

"Now now, is that any way to treat an old friend?"

"You're no friend of mine. To call you an enemy, though, would be insulting my other enemies."

Nina put a hand over her heart, gasping in mock shock. "Oh Stella, you wound me! Here I thought you'd be overjoyed to see me again!"

Corrin's mind was reeling. "Stella? Who's Stella? Nyx, What's wrong with Nina!?" That made Nina's eyes go wide before narrowing, her grin growing wider.

"Oh, that is just rich. You seriously haven't told her?" Nina raised an eyebrow at Nyx, who scowled back. "C'mon Stella, are you even trying? How is she supposed to fulfill her role in this little stage play if she doesn't have a copy of the script? I do like the new name, though; sounds all mysterious and powerful."

Nyx didn't even glance back to Corrin. "That's not Nina. Something's taken over her body, trapped her spirit. You need to run, right now. Run, and don't look back."

Corrin, baffled, shouted back at Nyx. "Why the hell would I ever run!? If something's taken over Nina, I'm gonna beat the shit out of it until it gives her back!"

Whatever was controlling Nina laughed at that. "Ooh, I like her. She's much feistier than Saria was. A bit of a boor, but that just adds to the charm."

Nyx's voice went low. "Don't  _ever_  say that name again. You don't get the  _right_  to say that name."

The girl frowned at that, her bow springing to life in her hand, surrounded by purple flame. "Run along now, 'Nyx'. All I want is Corrin. Of course, I'll come after you later, but at least you'll have a head start. Unless you think that ember tome is gonna be enough to stop me?" Nyx charged at her, only to get grabbed by the neck and slammed against a wall. "Really? You thought that would work? I'm insulted." Slamming her against it again, Nyx went limp, her eyes closing. Letting her fall to the ground, the girl turned back to look at Corrin, nocking an arrow. "Now, are you gonna come without any fuss, or do I need to kill your friend to get you to comply?"

Corrin looked back at Nyx's unconscious form guiltily, hoping she was alright as the girl possessing Nina walked her away. "Oh, the name's Vara, by the way. In case you were wondering." Whenever they ran into guards, Vara would simply shoot them down, lackadaisically stepping over their corpses. "Honestly, you'd think more people would know not to bother a girl with a flaming bow."

Eventually, they arrived at a large set of two doors, guarded by what looked to be some of the most elite troops in the castle. They shouted at them to halt, but Vara didn't even blink, nailing both of them in the eye. Corrin had seen some messed-up stuff, but this girl's apathy to murder, combined with her wearing Nina's face, definitely got to her. Vara dramatically flung the doors open, shoving corrin onto her knees and setting a foot on her back, digging her heel in. "Heya, boss! I got you a present! I tried to find wrapping paper on the way, but no luck. Hope you like it anyways!"

Lifting her head up, Corrin saw Leo, Azura, and Camilla looking at her, the former two with surprise and the latter with a soft frown. Further up, sending shivers running down Corrin's spine, was what could only be King Garon, looking at the two intruders with cautious curiosity. Azura took a step back, but Camilla set a hand on her shoulder, keeping her close. Leo opened Brynhildr, holding it at the ready. "Uh, boss? Think you can call your attack dog off?"

Garon looked at Leo. "Put it down. She is a friend." Leo looked to his father in disbelief, but slowly lowered his tome. "Skadi. I see you've already gained control of your host. Not only that, but you've brought Princess Corrin."

Azura looked back to her father, looking more nervous than Corrin had seen her. "Father, what's going on? What's the sage's legacy!?" Even Leo was on edge, likely due to the two newcomers.

Then, Garon did something entirely unexpected; he smiled. "This is good. Much better than I had hoped. Yes, everything's falling into place now. Seven of the eight Divine Weapons are gathered in one place, with Raijinto not far…" He looked at Azura. "The sage's legacy. A dragon's gift to humanity. The keys to the arbiter of our world. The Divine Weapons."

Nobody else dared speak. "In an age that exists only in legend, there were three dragons. One of dawn, one of dusk, and one of light. The dawn and dusk dragons fought for eons, their different ideologies and ideals refusing to meld. They swayed humanity to their causes, establishing two kingdoms, Nohr and Hoshido. These kingdoms, at conflict since their very inception, served under these two dragons, revering them as deities. However, they were no gods."

"Eventually, the dragons neared the end of their lifespans. With their age came madness, an insanity that threatened to take all life with them. Their brother, the dragon of light, had previously stayed in solitude, believing no good would come from a dragon's influence on man. However, when he saw his brothers ravaging the lands and inciting chaos, he emerged from isolation and struck them down."

"This act of mercy saved the two kingdoms but left them in a state of disarray. Their way of life, their very reason for existence, was gone, leaving the world still at the edge of anarchy. Directionless and afraid, they turned to the dragon of light for guidance. Seeing their plight, he used his greatest treasure, the Fire Emblem, and split four of its jewels in twain, each creating two of the Divine Weapons. Raijinto, the lightning blade, able to channel the power of the storm itself. Brynhildr, the tome of life, creating life where there once was none. Siegfried, the sword of kings, only wielded by rightful rulers. The Fujin Yumi, the will of the winds, a weapon that, when used by a tranquil soul, will always aim true. Ganglari, the power of the fallen, a weapon that uses its enemies' strength for its own purposes. Skadi, the ego's mirror, a being that, if not properly conquered by its wielder, will overtake them. Bölverk, the overseer, which knows always where its brethren are, and by drawing blood, knows if one is worthy to wield a Divine Weapon. Dísir, the soul's strength, granting its wielder's will immense strength, but extracting payment in return."

Azura froze for a moment before bringing her hand to her pendant. "That is the gem within your pendant, Azura. It has been passed down through your mother's family since its very first owner passed it down to her daughter."

"My mother…" Azura whispered, clutching the pendant tightly. "Did she know?"

"Yes. She knew of the pendant's true nature. She wished to tell you but passed before she was able. She…" He paused thoughtfully. "She wished to test the limits of its power, to see how much it could achieve. I should have stopped her, I should have forbidden her from going further before she…she paid too heavy a price for her body to handle."

Horrified, Azura screamed at him, scaring Corrin with just how enraged she was. "You could've stopped her!? You could've saved her, but you  _didn't_!?" Her pendant began to glow, rising into the air until it stopped, hovering just below her face. "You let her die! Your arrogance killed her!"

"ENOUGH!" Garon roared, stunning Azura, her pendant falling back down, its glow ceasing. "I loved your mother dearly, Azura, just as I love you. Not a day goes by that I do not spend regretting my foolishness. Her death, and your kidnapping, took a part of me that left me hollow. Your return was the greatest joy I've experienced in a long time." Either he was a brilliant liar, or he really did mean that.

Garon paused, taking a deep breath, then continuing. "The dragon of light kept the Fire Emblem's fifth and final gem intact, using its power to create the arbiter of the world: The Yato. This weapon was the arbiter of the two kingdoms, the king of the Divine Weapons. He bestowed it on his chosen hero, bestowing this hero with the power to decide which kingdom was worthy of ruling the land. To Nohr, he gifted Siegfried and Brynhildr. To Hoshido, he gifted Raijinto and the Fujin Yumi. The other four were gifted to worthy souls with the willpower and strength required to wield them."

"Both Hoshido and Nohr now faced the risk of defeat, as the hero had yet to decide which kingdom should rule. Out of fear and paranoia, they conspired against the hero, swaying the four worthy souls to assist in their plans. Betraying the trust the dragon of light had placed in them, they struck down the hero, leaving the Yato without a wielder. Enraged, the dragon of light sealed the Yato away in another realm, and, before vanishing, issued a divine decree."

"The Divine Weapons were imbued with a desire to see the Yato's return; it was their punishment for striking down its wielder. The dragon of light told the wielders that, for the Yato to reemerge, they must all gather together when the sun and moon are one. Then, the Yato will descend from the heavens, falling into the hands of its rightful wielder." His eyes locked on Corrin. "You. You, descendant of the dawn dragon and the hero's bloodline, are the one destined to use the Yato."

"…What?" Corrin couldn't believe what she was hearing. "B-but you said that I was from the dawn dragon's family tree, right? How could I be related to this hero?" If she was honest, it was taking all she had just to keep up with the rapid turn of events.

"Your mother, Mikoto. She was not Sumeragi's first wife. No, she was his concubine, one who gave birth to you whilst Sumeragi was still wed. When his first wife, Ikona, fell to illness, he married Mikoto. She is a descendant of the hero's bloodline, and thus, you are as well."

That couldn't be true. Someone would've told her. Ryoma would've told her, or Hinoka, or Takumi, or her mother! Why would none of them have told her!? "Takumi is here as well. He has not been harmed, and neither will you, if you cooperate. There is also…another person of note. Azura." The princess flinched. "We have captured your child." They had found Shigure? Kana had said he would stay distant unless he was needed; how was he found? "Iago."

Corrin could hear the doors to the throne room open once more, followed by two pairs of footsteps. "Let me go! Let me go!" Someone shouted. The footsteps got closer until someone was shoved onto their knees next to Corrin.

Looking up from the ground, the new face looked at Corrin, then at Azura, with mortified pink eyes that matched her long, flowing hair. Her gaze stuck on Azura. "Oh, gods…I-I didn't want it to happen this way…"

Leo looked at the girl. "Soleil!?" He exclaimed, having clearly known her somehow. When Corrin thought on it, she realized that she had seen this girl before; she was the one that convinced another Nohrian to let her and Rinkah go.

Garon resumed, once again silencing any other conversation. "Corrin, the day when the sun and moon become one is not far off. I have left Ryoma to do what he pleases, but he must come so that all Divine Weapons may be gathered. You must go to Cheve, bring him here, and when the Yato emerges from the heavens above and grants you its power, you will use it to bring peace to the world."

Leo looked at his father with disbelief. "Father, what are you saying? Do you intend to use Corrin to establish rule over all nations!?"

"You are correct, my son. We will bring all civilizations together, under one banner. We will end war, we will vanquish conflict. We will bring peace. I have done much to achieve this end. I sired many children so that even if one was struck down, there would be others who could wield Siegfried or Brynhildr in their place. I struck down Sumeragi, not out of ill will, but to acquire you, Corrin. I would have raised you and instilled you with my values so that you would better understand my goal."

Leo, shaken by his father's words, gripped Brynhildr's spine tightly. "You…father, you…"

Corrin felt disgusted and horrified by this man and his delusional dream of peace. "You're insane." Her response displeased him, but before he could speak, Camilla finally interjected.

Camilla 

"I won't allow this." Camilla's declaration drew everyone's attention onto her, including Skadi, whose purple eyes narrowed with a cautious curiosity. "I won't let you do this, father. You're delusional and mad."

Turning his head, father looked down at Camilla. "You are in no position to criticize me, Camilla. Not after your failings." Failings? She hadn't failed in anything! "I received word from Zola; Izumo has fallen out of our hands. Archduke Izana, as well as Takumi's allies, were freed from their cells, allowing them to instigate an uprising against the puppets we had worked so tirelessly to place in their government. His letter explaining the situation says that the one responsible for this was your retainer, Selena."

No. No, that wasn't possible. Camilla trusted Selena, she knew she wouldn't do something like that. She wouldn't betray her. She wouldn't side with the Hoshidans. "Not only did you let Izumo out of our control, but your retainer did the deed. She was only given the position to do so because of your misplaced trust in her."

Her cool demeanor beginning to crack, Camilla shouted back. "That can't be true! Selena would never do that! It must've been someone else, there must be something else at play here!" Father shook his head. "Father, I trust her!"

"And you were a fool to trust her to begin with!" Father's voice had begun to rise, indicating the true extent of his fury. "Not only this, but Corrin was able to make her way into the castle. She could have taken Azura and escaped.  _You_  were not the one to stop her, because you were too busy whining to me like a child." How…how  _dare_  he!? How dare he claim this was her fault!? "I granted you Bölverk because I believed you were a worthy successor to its power. I see now that I was wrong."

"Father, please, you know that it wasn't my fault!" Camilla tried to plead, but his face was now unmoving.

"Bring me my axe. You no longer deserve its strength."

"Please, I am, I know I can—"

Father's voice was now booming. "My axe. NOW." She gripped its handle tightly once again, staring down at the floor. Then, she loosened her grip and began to walk towards her father. As she drew closer, Bölverk spoke to her. It showed her another memory of her mother. From the beginning, she knew exactly what memory it was.

Camilla's mother entered her room, angered. "Camilla!" She scrambled off her bed, standing up straight for her mother, just like how she liked it. "One of our maids has left our employment. Without that wench, not all of the household tasks will be able to be completed. This is an opportunity for you to learn the value of hard work."

Camilla knew the kind of work the servants did. They did all sorts of intensive, meticulous labor that she knew full well she would not be able to do. Scrubbing, garden maintenance, chimney cleaning; these were all things she knew nothing about. And if she didn't do a good enough job, her mother would be furious. There was no way to win. "Mother, I don't think I can…"

The room seemed to darken in accompaniment with her mother's mood, the woman leaning ever so slightly downwards and towards her. "You don't think you can…what?" Camilla was treading on thin ice, but she couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't pretend she was okay with what her mother was asking of her.

"I can't! Mother, I don't know how to do these chores, and nobody will teach me! If I don't perform them to your liking, you'll be mad at me! I can't do what you ask of me!" Tears were starting to flow as Camilla desperately pleaded. "Please, I can't do this, mother! I can't always live up to the standards you've set, but I don't want to keep being punished for it! Please…"

For a while, Camilla kept sobbing, her mother deathly quiet. Then, swifter than Camilla could react to, her mother slapped her across the face hard enough to send her to the ground, hitting her head on her bedside and crying out in pain. "You can start out by brewing me a pot of coffee. Even a stupid, worthless girl like you should be able to accomplish that." Her mother walked out of the room, leaving her to nurse the cut on her forehead.

Later, with cloth covering the wound, Camilla stepped into the kitchen, beginning to prepare a pot of coffee. She stirred, watching the water turn an equal shade of brown, then stopped. She looked around, seeing she was alone. Then, with trembling hands, she reached into her pockets and pulled out a single flower. The exact same kind of flower that her mother had her use to poison that tea. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and crushing the flower in her hand as tight as she possibly could, before letting it drop into the pot.

"CAMILLA! WHAT'S TAKING YOU SO DAMNED LONG!?" Her mother shouted from another room. The coffee now done, Camilla picked up the pot and grabbed a cup, hurrying over to her mother's study. Her hands weren't trembling anymore.

The memory scattered, and Camilla was back in the present, standing right in front of her father. He looked at her, his expression reminding her so much of her mother’s. She knew exactly why Bölverk had shown her that memory. It was to remind her that she was strong enough then, and that she was strong enough now. "Here, father. Your axe." She inhaled, tightening her grip.

Then, she swung.


	39. Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we’ve finally reached the end of this 19-chapter story arc. That’s almost half the entire story so far! I hope you enjoy the conclusion, and that you’re excited by the teases for the next story arc. Lemme know what you think!

Corrin

As Corrin stared down at her father's body, covered in arrows and surrounded by a pool of blood, she felt a tiny voice in her head scream something at her; but it was distant, barely audible. As that man, King Garon, stepped closer and closer to her, holding the axe that he used to finish her father off, still dripping red onto the cobbled streets, the voice got louder. She stood there, frozen in utter terror, staring at him with terrified eyes. The only sound she could let out was the faintest hint of a whimper.

King Garon grabbed her small arm, holding that axe and lowering it down. The voice got louder, and she could almost make it out now. The blade gently slid across the skin of her arm, making the smallest cut, blood dripping out and onto the blade. His smile grew more triumphant. "As I thought. You bear the hero's blood. You're more special than you know, Corrin. Far more."

The voice screamed at her once again, allowing her to realize it was her own. It screamed the same word over and over again, repeating it until she would do what it said.  _Run. Run. RUN._  Yanking her arm out of Garon's grip, she spun around and dashed down the alleyway, hearing him call after her, before shouting for his men to follow. She needed to find a soldier, a ninja, a diplomat,  _somebody_  to keep her safe. As she kept running, ducking and weaving through the complex city streets, her dress was torn in several places. Whenever she tripped, dirt would smear on her face and get in her hair, mixing with the blood from the cuts and scrapes that accompanied them.

The Nohrians' footsteps were never too far. She could always hear them, shouting orders at eachother, their feet pounding against the ground, their armor clanking with every move they made. Whenever one spotted her, they'd call for reinforcements, and she'd let out a timid scream, changing her direction to try and throw them off.

What would Ryoma do? He'd stand and fight, and beat the enemy. He'd be a true warrior, fearless, refusing to stand down. But that was because he knew how to fight. Corrin didn't. She was small and frail and scared out of her mind. The only option she had was to keep running until she either didn't have to, or couldn't run anymore.

They were catching up to her again. She took a quick glance behind her to see just how close they were, and in the process, didn't realize that she was running out of ground. Her foot went down only to find there was nothing to step on. As her weight shifted and she found herself plummeting down into a canal, she was sure she was going to die. She was never going to see mother, or Ryoma, or Hinoka, or Takumi, or newborn baby Sakura. She was going to die here.

The icy cold of the water shocked her senses, leaving her even less prepared for the current that began to push her forwards. Water flooded her lungs, and no matter how much coughing or wheezing she did, it just made more enter. She was going to die, she was going to die and never see anyone again. She was never going to grow up, she was never going to watch her siblings grow up. What would they think? Having lost not just father, but her as well, was a kind of loss she couldn't even fathom. She couldn't do that to them. She  _wouldn't_  do that to them. But it didn't matter, because she was going to die anyways.

Her body tossed and turned in the water, making her lose any sense of direction, now just desperately swimming in any direction, hoping and praying that it was up. Hair whipped in her face, preventing her from seeing the canal wall until she rammed right into it, head-first.

When Corrin's eyes opened, she found herself on a rocky shore, water lapping at her legs. With a heavy grunt, she tried to push herself up, only managing to get onto her knees without losing her balance. With foggy vision, she looked around, spotting what looked like a town nearby. Everything else was just trees as far as the eye could see. There was a thumping pain in her skull, that, when she touched, flared up. Moving her hand back, she saw blood on her fingers. "What…happened?"

After a few more moments to recover, she managed to stumble onto her feet and began limping towards the town. There would be people there, and people meant safety. She wasn't fully aware of the extent of her injury, but she knew it couldn't have been good, considering her vision still wasn't fully clear.

Getting closer, Corrin spotted two men in the outskirts of the city, seemingly engaged in a heated argument. The closer she got, the clearer their words became. "Listen, I got it done, just as you asked. A little complication doesn't mean you have to lower the payment!"

"Shura, you let them trace it back to me. They haven't figured it out yet, but they might. Consider yourself lucky I'm paying you at all."

Corrin spoke, her throat dry. "E-excuse me…" Both men turned to face her, equally surprised. "I…" What did she need? Help, right? Or did she need to know where she was? What about what happened to her? Would they even know? She found it hard to think with that pain in the back of her head, hard to stay awake, hard to even stand. As she lost her balance and fell to the dirt, her last conscious thought was amazement that she had even made it that far.

Corrin slowly awoke, her vision blurry and eyelids heavy. A headache was the first thing she noticed, followed by a warm light to her side. Turning her head over, she watched as the lantern on a small table shone brightly. The blanket over her was so warm, so amazingly warm that she didn't want to get out from under it…

That is, until she realized someone else was in the room. Panic sent her sitting up, which turned out to be quite the mistake as her head went from throbbing to feeling like a hammer was being used to bash it in. Her vision went blurry again as her balance threatened to send her right back to laying down, or worse, right off the bed.

The other person ran towards her, putting his hand on her shoulder, keeping her steady. "Hey, hey! If you sit up that fast, you're gonna puke your brains out! Don't be an idiot!" Slowly, gently, he laid her back down, the comfort of the pillow beneath her head doing wonders for her dizziness. Or at least, it felt like it.

Corrin tried to speak but found herself only able to summon half-sentences. "What…why is…my head…" She felt cloth wrapped around her forehead, tied tight enough to discomfort her. She thoughtlessly tried to untie it, only for the man to grab her hand and move it back to her side.

"Hey, the cloth stays on. I don't want you bleeding all over the place, okay?" The man, now in full sight, intimidated Corrin quite a bit, with his scruffy face and menacing look. "Though I am glad you're awake. With an injury like that, I thought you might've been asleep for days. Only one and a half, though. Impressive."

"O-one and a half!?" That was how long she had been asleep? "What…what happened to me?" She tried to recall the memory but had no success. It all just came up as hazy blurs, or pure nothingness.

The man shrugged. "That's what I was gonna ask you, kid. Why'd you think I would know?"

"I…I don't know." She kept trying to remember, but she just…couldn't. "I don't know what happened. I just…woke up, and my head hurt."

"Y'know, I've seen some people get knocked out and wake up with their memory a bit foggy. I'd bet that's what you're going through. Do you remember anything earlier?"

Closing her eyes, Corrin tried to recall something, but came up with nothing. Earlier still gave her nothing. Panic started to set in as she tried to recall something, anything, but kept coming up blank. "N-no. I can't…I can't remember anything…"

Hearing that, the man raised an eyebrow. "Now that, I've never heard of. You can't seriously tell me you've got nothing in that brain of yours." Corrin just stared at him with afraid eyes, not understanding what was happening to her. That seemed to convince him. "Well hell, kid. Not sure what to say to that. You must've hit your head pretty damn hard to get that to happen." From the pain, it sure  _felt_  like she hit her head hard enough.

"My name. I…remember my name." There was that, at least. She was certain that was her name. It felt natural, personal. "Corrin." The man seemed to react, but she wasn't sure how, exactly.

"Well, Corrin, the name's Shura. I'm not a very charitable guy, but I'm certainly not gonna ignore a kid bleeding her brains out, so here's the deal. You can stay here in this little hovel until you're well enough to walk. Then, you're gone. Got it?"

"No, you can't let me go!" Corrin sat back up, that dizziness hitting her once again. She groaned, clutching her forehead. "Please…I don't know where to go…" Through the blurriness and throbbing agony of her skull, she couldn't see Shura's face.

"Fine. I'll let you hang around until you're all healed up. But only that long; got it?" It was still too short, not enough time to get to grips with everything. But it was better than nothing.

"Got it."

* * *

"Here, father. Your axe." There was a blur of movement, indecipherable from Corrin's position. When it stopped, and the aftermath was laid bare in front of her, she stared in shock. Camilla stood there, her hands still on Bölverk, the blade embedded deep into Garon's chest. He stared at her, trying to speak something, but only able to force out a pained gurgle. She leaned closer, setting a hand on his cheek. "I won't let you continue your plan. You're too delusional to continue. However, worry not. I'll carry on in your stead." The axe dug deeper into him, his eyes rolling back. "I've wanted to gut you like this for so long. It's just as satisfying as I'd imagined."

Just as swiftly as Camilla struck, she yanked the axe out of her father, allowing him to collapse onto the floor, unmoving. The room was utterly silent as Camilla wiped a few specks of blood off her armor before looking to the others. Then, Vara clapped enthusiastically, grinning ear to ear. "Well done! Great show. Honestly, I was wondering when you were going to get that babbling sack of skin out of the picture. He was boring the living daylights out of me."

Azura, with absolute terror on her face, looked at Camilla. "You…you…" Camilla was quick to walk over to her, placing her hands on her cheeks, looking back at her with a caring, personal expression.

"Azura, it's alright. I stopped father. He can't hurt you anymore. He was a monster, a delusional fool who put you in danger all your life. The world is better off without him; you know that." Lovingly brushing strands of hair out of Azura's face, Camilla then looked up to Leo, who looked as if the air had been knocked right out of him.

"Camilla, what've you done!?" Stepping forward, Leo stood in front of Camilla and Azura. "Father, he's…he's dead…"

"Yes." Camilla's response was unnervingly calm. "Yes, he is. He was murdered by Crown Prince Xander in an effort to usurp the throne. We bore witness to the event, and will testify as such."

Azura stepped back, Camilla's hands no longer touching her. "No, you can't mean that! You're going to frame Xander!? Why!?"

"It's simple, Azura. Xander would never go along with our plan. He would never trust us. He would rather damn Nohr to ruin just to preserve its soiled honor than let it become something greater. And it  _will_  become something greater, Azura. With us at the helm." Camilla looked back at Leo. "All of us." Then, her gaze shifted to Iago.

"Y-yes…yes, of course." Iago stammered out. "All of us." Leo looked at the others as if he were surrounded by madmen.

"You can't honestly believe that this is rational!? Azura, we can't go along with this, you know that!" His determined look was shattered by Azura's distrustful gaze.

"…Since when did you care about what I did?" Azura clenched a fist, her hands trembling. "Don't try and pretend you care about me, Leo. Lying about it makes it all the more insulting."

Corrin stared in disbelief. "Azura?" The girl's yellow eyes looked down at her, guilt reflected in them. "Azura, what're you doing? You can't…seriously be considering this, can you?"

Camilla grabbed Azura's hand, turning her attention back to her. "Of course she is. Father's plan, while warped and twisted by his delusions of grandeur, is still sound. An end to not just this war, but all wars to follow. That's exactly what you want, isn't it, Azura? And you, Corrin. You came here to stop father, and he's been stopped. You could join us, wield the Yato, and end this conflict. We already have seven of the Divine Weapons, we just need Raijinto! It's as father said, you're capable of convincing Prince Ryoma of our cause." Seeing Corrin's doubt, Camilla kept on. "We can end it all. No more death. We can make sure that none of it happens again. Nobody will end up like Sakura—"

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT HER!" Corrin's immediate rage was uncontrollable. Sakura's smiling face was back in her mind, haunting her, reminding her that she wasn't strong enough to save her. Reminding her that she wasn't good enough to tell Sakura what she wanted to hear in her last moments. Seeming to realize that Corrin was a lost cause, Camilla looked back to Azura.

"Azura. Bölverk has shown me truths that not even father knew. It saw that father wasn't a worthy ruler, but it also saw that I am. It knows that I can bring about this age of peace. You can help me make things right. You know I wouldn't lie to you. I just want to keep you safe. Corrin does, as well, but…her efforts are misguided. She doesn't grasp the extent of what this means."

Leo, still against the idea, tried to grab Azura's attention. "Azura, listen to me. You've been through immense trauma, and your mind is not in a stable position right now. Camilla is trying to exploit that, she's trying to take your mind while it's still healing and rework it. Don't fall for that trap."

"Not…stable?" Azura's pendant began to glow softly, inciting Leo to take a few steps back. "I'm…not stable?" The glow began to brighten as the pendant once again started to float. A faint rumbling could be felt in the ground. "And who do I have to thank for that, Leo? Who made me have to endure that trauma!?" The rumbling seemed to spike with every raise of pitch in her voice, every harsh inflection. "You did! You brought me here against my will, showed me off like a circus act for father's approval, then left me to the dogs! It's all your fault!"

The ground below them cracked ever so slightly, and in response, Leo opened Brynhildr. Whether or not he intended to use it, a shockwave of faint blue light shot out of Azura and sent him flying across the room before he had the opportunity, hitting the wall by the throne room doors and slumping to the ground, Brynhildr sliding away. She brought her hands to her mouth, her pendant falling back down, its light vanishing. "L-Leo…I didn't…I didn't mean to…"

Camilla once again grabbed Azura's hand. "It's alright. You can't be afraid of Dísir's power. You have a gift, Azura, a gift that lets you use its strength without your voice. You must embrace it." Leo tried to get back to his feet, but fell back down, coughing.

"Mother?" For the first time since she first came in, Soleil spoke. "A world without war…that's what we came back to achieve. It's what we always wanted. If that can happen…I want to help it happen. I'll follow you."

This was insane. Azura wasn't rejecting Camilla's offer, she wasn't trying to rescue Corrin. She was deliberating it, pondering it. Meanwhile, Camilla looked at Leo, her eyes narrowing. "Leo. Will you stand with us?"

He didn't answer for a while, simply looking back at her. "Elise. What will happen to her?"

"She'll be safe, Leo. Just like you. Just like Azura."

"She'll think her brother is a murderer!"

"So you'd rather have her see her sister as one?" Camilla's voice lost the empathy that it had when talking to Azura. Once again, Leo went quiet for a while.

"No." He struggled up to his feet. "I won't help you."

"Then you'll have assisted Xander in his assassination attempt. You were promised more power, more influence, and in exchange, you planned the whole thing." Camilla sighed out of pity, her posture straight and graceful, while Leo could barely stay on his feet. "I'm sorry, Leo. I offered you the chance to pick the right side."

For a few moments, Corrin heard what sounded like voices outside of the throne room. Then, the doors flew open as plumes of fire roared out, filling the room with smoke, blinding those that were on their feet. Niles and Nyx ran inside, the latter sending another blast of flame at Vara, knocking her off her feet as Niles ran to Corrin, helping her up to her feet. "Good to see you again. Now c'mon, we gotta go!" He started to move her to the doors, but she stopped him, coughing from the smoke.

"Azura…we need to get—" She wheezed, covering her mouth and nose with her hand, closing her eyes to stop the smoke from burning them. When she eventually opened them, she saw Azura staring at her, her pendant glowing.

"Corrin," Azura didn't move. "stay right here." Corrin took a step back, and the pendant grew brighter. "You're my friend." Azura spoke with unsteady breath, a single tear sliding down her cheek. "I trust Camilla. You need to trust her too."

Vara laughed hysterically as she got back up to her feet, looking right at Nyx, who held a ragnarok tome at the ready. "My oh my, how you've surprised me! I was sure you were going to cower away like you always did, but here you are, standing tall and proud! Perhaps you're not as spineless as you used to be."

Nyx sent out another burst of flame, forcing Vara to jump out of the way, firing her bow as soon as she hit the ground. Nyx managed to move just in time for the flaming arrow to only singe off a few strands of hair. "Meanwhile, you're just as deranged and egotistical as I remember."

"Perhaps you're right." Nyx nocked an arrow, pulling back. "Then again, if it ain't broke, why fix it?" She fired, Nyx rolling out of the way, only for another arrow to come right at her, keeping her moving. Vara kept firing, each missed shot scorching the ground it impacted. Nyx couldn't keep up forever. Finally, Vara fired one last shot, Nyx desperately attempting to roll away. The arrow exploded into a roaring blaze, smoke billowing around, obscuring Nyx.

When the smoke cleared, Nyx was gasping for breath behind a thick tree branch that had sprouted from the ground, blackened and charred from the arrow, quickly snapping in half and collapsing to the floor. In her hand, open and humming with a faint glow, was Brynhildr.

Vara once again burst into uncontrollable laughter. "Stella, for shame! I thought you swore never to use Brynhildr again! I must've really pushed you into a desperate state, to get you to use that tome. How's it feel to hold it again, to feel its power coursing through your veins? The same power that you used to—"

More branches shot up from the ground, heading right for Vara, who was forced to go on the defensive, firing at each one, turning them into charcoal. "Aww, did I touch a nerve? Does poor little Stella not want to remember what she did? It's so cute, seeing you try to plug your ears and sing until the bad memories go away."

Vara retaliated, firing at Nyx and forcing her to get on the move again, branches sprouting from the ground to stop arrows that got too close. A massive tangle of branches, twisted and wrapped around one another, shot across the room and in front of Corrin. Nyx ran to her and Niles, clearly exhausted. Corrin knew she wasn't going to be able to keep it up for much longer. "Corrin, listen to me. Notre Sagesse. You need to go to Notre Sagesse. You'll get your answers there. Do you understand?"

Corrin could hear arrows pelting the branches, slowly breaking through them. "Nyx, I don't understand, what's happening!? What the hell aren't you telling me!?"

"Corrin, there's not enough time! Go to Notre Sagesse, climb Mount Sagesse. You'll find what you want to know there. Now go!" Nyx spoke with a commanding authority Corrin never knew she had. "I'll be fine, now go!" It was obvious that she was lying, but before Corrin could protest anymore, Niles grabbed her and hurried her to the doors. On their way out, she noticed two things. The first was that Leo was nowhere to be found. The second was that Azura was looking at her, utterly heartbroken.

There was no time to dwell on that. They had to find Takumi. Corrin stopped every guard they ran into, demanding they tell her where he was until finally, they ran into one who actually knew. After knocking him out, they ran to Takumi's room, Corrin skipping the act of lockpicking and instead grabbing a stolen guard's sword and hacking the door to pieces.

"Corrin!?" Takumi got up, hurrying to his sister. "How did you get here?"

"Takumi, shut up and listen. Things are going very bad, really fast. You need to get out of here as fast as you can. If your group's here, break them out and go. If not, get to them as fast as you can. Princess Camilla's cut down her father, and she's taking his place. Azura's working with her. The faster they know that, the better they can prepare."

It was obvious that Takumi was having a hard time processing everything he had just heard, but he swallowed his concerns for the time being. "Prepare for what?"

Corrin sighed, looking around to check for guards. "Hell if I know. See you, little bro." With that, she ran off, Niles right behind her. Takumi would be fine. He'd been through worse.

Corrin wasn't sure how long they had been moving until they stopped, the moonlight casting a pale light on them through a window. The combination of smoke-filled lungs and constant movement had them both sitting against a wall, panting and heaving. Niles turned to her. "So, what now?"

Staring out the window and up at the moon, Corrin took some deep breaths, trying to stabilize her breathing. "We fight our way out of here, and we get to Mozu, and she gets us out of here."

"I meant after that."

What would she do? Would she listen to Nyx? Would she go find Ryoma, make sure he was safe? Would she go after Shura, try to get closure? In the end, she only had one answer. "I don't know."

Forrest

Niles wasn't even in his cell. He must've already broken out. The fight they went through in the dungeons was worthless. And now Nina was gone, taken over by some  _thing_  and being used to do gods know what. And he was down here, wandering aimlessly, having forgotten where he was supposed to go to even get out. Then again, he supposed that was probably a good thing, seeing as how it led him to a massive pile of rubble with more than a few voices coming from the other side.

"Odin, why couldn't you have just brought a tome!?"  
"I thought it would've looked suspicious!"

"You carry a tome with you at all times Odin, you  _always_  look suspicious."

Siegbert? Some of the other voices sounded vaguely familiar as well. Hesitantly, Forrest called out to them. "Hello? Who's there?" The group stopped talking, before Siegbert shouted back.

"Forrest? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. What happened down here? Have any of you seen Nina?"

" _Seen_  Nina?" Another man could be heard. "The damned girl nearly killed us all!" She had been through here. Oh, gods.

"That wasn't her! It's hard to explain, but…something's taken control of her. Something evil."

Velouria piped up, unsurprisingly. If Siegbert was around, she was never far off. "She didn't smell like Nina, that's for sure."

"Forrest, people could be in danger." Siegbert said. "Nina could be in danger. You need to get us out of here before something terrible happens!" Forrest looked down at his fire tome, then back to the rubble. Could he really trust them? Sure, they hadn't left on the best of terms, but Siegbert was still family. That had to mean  _something_ , right?

"S-stand back!" Forrest warned, opening his tome and casting a spell, blasting a hole in the rubble, but not creating an opening. He focused, casting another spell, to similar success. Finally, a third spell did the trick, dust rising up as Siegbert crawled through an opening, looking down at Forrest. He tried to think of something to say, but all that came out was a meek "Hello."

Siegbert's gaze was only a passing glance as he turned to beckon the others along. It didn't take much time at all for the group to get through, those who knew him less well, particularly the silver-haired butler, giving him suspicious glances. "Come on!" Siegbert shouted, running down the halls. Did he assume Forrest was going to follow, or did he intend to leave him behind? Forrest certainly didn't want the second possibility to happen, so he nervously followed the group as they headed to the exit.

Of course, Siegbert's first instinct was to head to his father's study. Where else would he go? Forrest was more worried about Nina, but he knew that if he ran into her alone, he wouldn't stand a chance against her. Guards ran past them without even sparing a glance, which was a big indicator that something was very wrong. Had Corrin managed to get Azura out? Was that why the guards were scrambling all over the place?

They arrived at the entrance to Xander's study, only to find that the door was already open. Inside, Leo was shouting at his brother with a panicked look, covered in dust. "What the hell…" Siegbert's words drew attention to the group.

"Xander, we've run out of time." Leo said as his brother lifted up a bag stuffed to the brim. "We have to go, now." Xander nodded, the two of them stepping out of the room. Leo looked to Siegbert. "Xander's been accused of treason. Camilla's trying to usurp the throne, and she's blaming Xander and me for father's murder in order to get away with it."

Everyone was taken aback, Siegbert being the first to speak. "And Princess Azura? Princess Elise?"

"Elise is unaware, and likely already well-protected. Azura…" Leo looked away in shame. "She's sided with Camilla. Your friend, Soleil, has done so as well. Apparently, Azura's her mother." Laslow was the most shocked, looking at Siegbert, who merely gave a grim nod of confirmation.

Jakob closed his eyes. "Isn't this a dilemma. Well, I suppose my dream of rising the ranks will have to be put on hold until this nasty business is sorted out. Traitors don't exactly gain much approval." His eyes opened, and he smiled ever so faintly. "My loyalty is to you, Lord Leo. As it always has been." The other retainers and Velouria nodded as well, with Xander and Leo now looking at Forrest.

"Who's this?" Leo asked. Before anyone could answer, the sound of clanking metal alerted the group to the arrival of soldiers. They were here to capture Xander and Leo. They didn't say anything, didn't issue any orders or proclamations or terms of arrest. They simply inched closer and closer, weapons out, ready to strike. Traitors weren't allowed any less.

Everyone drew their weapons, aside from Odin, who hadn't brought any tomes, and was probably regretting that decision more and more by the second. One of the guards got antsy, stabbing his spear out at Velouria, who stepped back to swiftly avoid it. However, that was the spark that lit the powder keg. Siegbert rushed at the guard who had attacked her, cutting him down with one strike. The other guards now rushed at them, swiftly devolving into chaos.

Forrest tried his best to help without accidentally singeing an ally by mistake, which led to him mostly just dodging sword swipes or axe swings. If he had brought a staff, he could've used it to heal any wounds, but he never thought that would be necessary when they first snuck into Krakenburg.

They whittled down the soldiers slowly but surely, nobody getting severely injured in the process. Xander, wielding a simple blade rather than Siegfried, dealt the finishing blow to the last guard, sending the man stumbling back, clutching his stomach. Then, in a final burst of adrenaline, he charged at Xander, sword raised.

"Father!" Siegbert rushed at the man, slamming into him and finishing him off for good with a thrust of his blade. He stopped to breathe before looking back at Xander, seeing the incredulous look on his face. He seemed to realize what he had said and tried to avoid looking at Xander. "I…"

"We can discuss that outburst later." Leo decided. "For now, we have to get out of here." Xander and Siegbert nodded, and the group moved down the halls, Forrest following along. It seemed that for now at least, he was stuck with a different group. He just hoped Nina was alright.

Dwyer

Well, Dwyer had made a mess of things, hadn't he? Midori was gone, lost forever. Princess Hinoka and that loud girl wouldn't even look at eachother. Asugi was a wreck, Mitama spent all her time trying to comfort him, and Anna was the only person getting anything done. Meanwhile, Kiragi and his mom were…wait. Where were they?

"Um…guys?" Dwyer looked back at the group. "Isn't there supposed to be a tied-up captive and her kid over there?" All that sat in their place was unbound rope and a slip of paper. For the first time, Asugi stood up and walked over, picking the paper up. His eyes scanned the paper, and as he went further down, his grip tightened. In anger, he threw it to the floor, storming off. Dwyer was the next to pick it up.

_Sorry for leaving without telling you guys. Mom said that Aunt Corrin is in danger, and I wanted to help. I'm not sure why mom wants to, but there you have it. If you guys see dad again, tell him I'm sorry too, and that I hope he and mom can meet sometime. I'm probably asking too much, though. Don't follow us. I'm sorry about Midori._

Great. Just peachy. Absolutely dandy. Dwyer had dropped right into the middle of a group that was collapsing, and he got to watch it happen. This was not what he wanted to see after spending all that time hopping through dimensions. He didn't want to see his friends act like this, he didn't want to see everybody being so cold, and he didn't want to live with the fact that Midori was gone because of him.

But that was how things were. He should've realized after his failed attempts to keep his friends from fragmenting during the Deeprealm journey that keeping people together is harder than one would think. Things rarely go according to plan.

After Hinoka read the note, however, she did something entirely unexpected. She walked over to the loud girl, stood tall, and apologized. "I'm sorry, Severa. I shouldn't have…taken my anger out on you." The loud girl was silent, crossing her arms. "I get that you're not in the mood to forgive me, and you don't have to. But at least…let me try to make it up to you."

The loud girl's eyes narrowed. "What're you willing to do to make it up to me?"

"Anything." Dwyer could tell that Hinoka meant that.

"Fine then." Uncrossing her arms, Severa stepped up to Hinoka. "Let me punch you. One punch, as hard as I want. Then we'll call it even. Sound fair?" The others had slowly started to pay attention to the confrontation. Hinoka didn't even look nervous, just nodding and standing ready. Severa curled her fingers into a fist, stretching her arm and cracking her knuckles. If they were attempts to intimidate Hinoka, they didn't work. "I am gonna enjoy this so damn much." She pulled her fist back, and then—

And then, blinding light flooded the cavern once again, for the briefest of milliseconds before disappearing. Everybody stopped whatever they were doing, Severa included, and looked to the Dragon's Gate. It must've been some kind of flare, a remnant of the last time the portal opened. Asugi, still hopeful for something,  _anything_ , walked closer, the darkness of the cavern once again amplified by everyone's eyes having gotten used to the intense light.

Asugi stopped. He stood deathly still. Then, he broke out into a sprint, prompting everyone else to follow. Something had happened. Something was there. Dwyer could see the shape, resting on the ground below the arch. When he got closer, however, he realized it wasn't a child. It was an adult, judging by the size of the body. Though, trying to figure out anything else was hard due to them being covered by some sort of large cloth.

Crouching down by the figure, Asugi lifted part of the cloth up, exposing long, waist-length hair and a soft, pale face. Dwyer was next to arrive next to this woman, kneeling down next to Asugi. Now that he was closer, he made two observations. One: It wasn't a cloth that covered her, but a blanket, and one that looked eerily familiar, at that. Two, and most importantly: The woman's hair was green.

As Asugi checked her, seeing that the blanket was the only thing covering her body at all, she lifted her head up, barely conscious. She looked at him with near-closed eyes and muttered one tired, confused word. "Asu…gi…" Then, she was fast asleep, leaving everyone else standing around her, unsure of what to do.

It couldn't have been her. It was too impossible, too absurd of a notion. But there was no denying that everything lined up to one conclusion. The young woman, laying fast asleep on the cold stone ground, who looked to be around Hinoka's age, was their friend. It was Midori.

Camilla

_We have suffered an immense loss and a horrifying revelation. We have lost our king to the traitorous acts of his sons, Prince Xander and Prince Leo. Their attempt to usurp the throne was thwarted, however, by the presence of myself and my sister, Princess Camilla, who were able to warn the castle of their attempted usurpation. They fought back, resulting in the catastrophic state the throne room has fallen to, thanks to Leo's rampant use of the Divine Weapon, Brynhildr. Both of their Divine Weapons were secured before they could escape, and are now under heavy security at all hours._

_Xander and Leo's retainers aided in their escape, and are thus just as subject to the same punishment. These are dangerous, desperate people who will do anything to stay alive. The murder of our father is testament to this fact. One must hold no sympathy for traitors, and if a soldier sees them, his orders are to report their presence to his commanding officer, and, if it is in the soldier's capabilities, to kill them._

_With Xander's claim to the throne now forfeit, I, Princess Azura, am naturally the one to claim the throne and rule over Nohr as its queen. However, I believe that a task of this scale is not one I will be able to fulfill. I would never place my own power over the happiness of the Nohrian people, and because of this, I resign my claim to the throne. As a result, the crown now passes to my sister, Princess Camilla._

_Camilla is a strong leader, a capable warrior, and a caring sister. I could think of no one better to bear the crown's heavy burden during these turbulent times. Under her leadership, I know that Nohr will rise out of its turmoil and regain its glory._

_-Crown Princess Azura of Nohr, addressed to the nobles of the Nohrian Court_

"Very good, Azura. I couldn't have written it better myself." Camilla rubbed her sister's shoulder as she finished with her signature at the bottom of the paper. "Thank you, for believing in me. I know how hard your decision was. Thank you."

Azura didn't say anything, simply staring down at her note with sorrowful eyes. Taking her hand off Azura's shoulder, Camilla left her sister's room. Walking down the halls, her mind drifted to Elise. The poor girl was in tears the minute she heard the news. She had to be protected from the truth, from the harsh nature of what was to come. Elise was a true treasure, an innocent soul who had avoided seeing the true horrors that her siblings had to endure growing up. That innocence was the soul of Krakenburg. It was what kept Elise happy. It had to be protected. As such, ignorance was the only option. She could never know the truth.

Next, her thoughts went to the two interlopers who had made their presence known. Shigure, the young man who, surprisingly to Camilla, was also Azura's child. Not only this, but he had brought back his time's Dísir. He was an incredibly promising asset, but his faith to the cause was nonexistent. It was clear that his only reason for following along was his mother's allegiance, which only made her even more important. Azura was the key to all of this.

Then, there was Kana, that young ninja they had captured. Shigure identified him as Corrin's child, which initially made her overjoyed. However, when Bölverk tasted his blood, it saw that he did not possess enough of the hero's blood to wield the Yato. This made him significantly less useful, but it did not render him useless. He would not tell her anything, but she knew that with time, he would give in to her…persuasions. Though, for him, they weren't quite so subtle.

Vara. Skadi's new identity, in a new body. Neither Azura nor Soleil were comfortable with this, both being familiar with the host, but Vara assured them both that Nina was still alive and well. It was enough to get them to accept her, even if it was only barely. The girl had spent the past few days indulging in just about everything she could, though that mostly came down to eating whatever foods she could get her hands on. Understandable, seeing how she hadn't had a body for such a long time. The girl was aggressive, impulsive, and dangerous; a bad combination. However, she was quick to comply with orders, so long as she felt like she was in control.

Iago was a potential loose end, but he was still compliant, just as Camilla had expected. She was right when she had told Bölverk that father's allegiances could be so easily swayed. As for Stella – or, she should say, Nyx, - Vara assured her that the girl was dead. Rotting in a ditch somewhere in the slums of Windmire. A shame, really; she could have been such a valuable asset, with her wealth of knowledge and experience, not to mention her intimate knowledge of events not even Bölverk knew the full picture of. However, it was obvious that she wouldn't have been convinced to work with them. Soleil was complying, though Iago's presence always put her on edge. Camilla knew that if she had to prioritize one of them, it would be Soleil. She was just far more important.

There was just one more piece to fit into the puzzle. One last person. Camilla stepped down the dungeon stairs, navigating the halls, a guard at her side with a lantern lit. Eventually, she arrived at the cell she was looking for. The guard opened the door and handed her the lantern, which she gladly accepted.

She used Bölverk to slash open the branches keeping their prisoner bound, yanking the ones stabbing into her out, allowing her body to heal. The girl stood up slowly, her breath ragged, and her expression tortured. Her first reaction upon seeing Camilla was to raise Ganglari and charge. Instead of swinging, she stopped, her eyes going empty as her body collapsed limply to the floor. Not unexpected, but disappointing, nonetheless.

A few seconds later, Peri gasped for breath, clutching her chest, mortified. "What did you do to me!? What happened to me!?" Camilla offered a hand, which the girl refused, getting up and backing away from her.

"I did nothing. Ganglari merely wished to help you understand your place in things. You serve me, now. If you obey me, I believe you'll find your work quite fulfilling. If not, Ganglari won't give you the chance to disobey."

"What do you…" Peri looked to her blade. "Hans, what's happening to me? What's going on!?"

Giggling softly, Camilla smiled. "You think that was your friend, Hans? You truly believe he was acting of his own free will? Peri, Ganglari holds dominion over all souls it absorbs. That includes your own." Peri's frantic gaze snapped back to her. "You can't honestly tell me that you really do think you survived Shirasagi, can you? You were on the floor, bleeding out for hours." Vara's ability to talk to the other Divine Weapons came in handy for moments like this. "You died, Peri. Ganglari merely absorbed your soul before it could go anywhere. It saw that you had the potential to wield it, and so it placed you back in your body and let you keep going on. You're merely a soul controlling a puppet, a lifeless corpse that's only kept from decaying because of Ganglari's power."

"No, that's not…that's not true! I'm not dead, I can't be dead!" As always, Peri was acting incredibly childish.

"Really? Then what just happened to you? You collapsed like a doll. Ganglari yanked your soul out of your body before you could harm me, because it serves me. It placed you back only once it believed it had taught you a lesson. You are not in control, Peri. You never have been." She walked up to the terrified girl and dropped the lantern, grabbing her forcefully by the hand. "Now, will you obey?"

Trembling in fear, Peri nodded. "Good. Very good." Camilla let go, stepping to the side. "As I told you, I'll reward you for obeying. Allow me to prove myself." She motioned to the guard. "Do whatever you'd like with him." The man, unaware of Camilla's intentions, stepped back in fear as Peri, furious at her humiliation, quickly approached him, Ganglari ready to strike.

Camilla didn't derive enjoyment from this, but she did appreciate the trust it earned her. Sacrifices had to be made if her plan was to come to fruition, no matter how ugly or awful they were. As Peri tore the man to shreds with glee, Camilla bent down and picked the lantern back up, dusting it off. She only needed three more pieces of the puzzle. Ryoma, Takumi, and Corrin.

The day when the sun and moon would become one was fast approaching. Camilla would be ready for it. She had to be.


	40. Paralogue Two: Midori

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major discretion warning. There's stuff in this chapter you might not wanna read, depending on who you are. Author's notes in the bottom go into more detail, in case you don't mind being spoiled.

_Where am I?_

"Papa!" Midori ran into her house, covered in mud, a bright smile on her face. She almost tripped on the way in, but stayed on her feet, running into the dining room and spotting papa sitting at the table, two bowls of soup ready. He looked up at her and smiled, filling her heart with joy. "Papa, guess what I found today!?" She didn't wait for him to answer as she sat at the table, grabbing a spoon. "I found this huge slug, and it was all yellow and slimy! It was this," she pointed her fingers, spacing them out. "big!"

"That sounds like quite the amazing slug, Midori." Papa reached a hand over to her and ruffled her hair, making her giggle. "Now hurry and get to your soup. It'll go cold before long. And do you like cold soup?" Midori stuck out her tongue, making a gagging noise. She knew that doing that always made him laugh.

_Why am I seeing this?_

Unable to sleep, Midori found herself wandering the house, noticing a crack of light shining through papa's bedroom door. She snuck over and peeked through, seeing him writing something, a tired expression on his face. He looked so…sad. She had tried so hard earlier to make him happy, but it didn't last long. She never liked seeing papa sad like this, like when he told her that she wasn't going to be able to play with Kana anymore. Or when he told her that mama was gone. She kept asking him where she went, but he wouldn't tell her. When she realized that asking him only made him sad, she stopped.

The next morning, she saw papa dropping some herbs into a little jar and using something to crush them up and mix them around. He scooped it out and poured it into a jar. He had a smile on his face as he did it. Did whatever that was make him happy? She kept watching him as he put everything away, letting her see which herbs he used. As soon as he was gone to go chop firewood, she grabbed a chair and stood up on it to get to the higher cabinets, grabbing everything she needed.

By the time papa came back in, Midori showed him what she had made, and the smile on his face made her just as happy as she was. "How did you make this, Midori?"

"I watched you do it, papa!"

He ruffled her hair, making her giggle. "Well, aren't you a little genius? Do you know what this is, Midori?" She shook her head. "This is medicine. It helps you when you've caught a cold. Next time one of us has a cold, we'll get better thanks to this."

"Really?" Midori had made medicine, all on her own? Papa was telling her that was a good thing, that she was a genius for doing it. She liked hearing him say that. "Papa, can you not use my medicine until you're sick? I wanna be the one to make you feel better!"

"Of course, Midori. Thank you for being such a great help."

_Why am I seeing papa?_

Midori hummed to herself, making a drink that was supposed to help with coughs. She was trying the recipe from a book that papa had given her on her birthday, filled to the brim with different types of medicines and how to make them. Papa hadn't smiled as much lately when she made him medicine, so she decided she was going to make him even more. That way, he'd definitely be happy!

Once she was done, she placed the drink in a cupboard that was filled with her medicines, specially designated to hold them. She was running out of space, which meant she'd have to find a new place to store her medicines. Papa wasn't going to let her have another cupboard, which meant she was going to have to improvise. Where to put it…

_What's happening to me?_

Midori hummed to herself, making a salve that was supposed to help with burns. She was trying the recipe from a book that papa had given her on her birthday, filled to the brim with different types of medicines and how to make them. Papa hadn't smiled as much lately when she made him medicine, so she decided she was going to make him even more. That way, he'd definitely be happy!

Once she was done, she ran to her room and placed the salve under her bed, along with the other medicines she had made that couldn't fit in the cupboard.

_I can't move._

Midori hummed to herself, making a drink that was supposed to help soothe sore throats. She was trying the recipe from a book that papa had given her on her birthday, filled to the brim with different types of medicines and how to make them. Papa hadn't smiled as much lately when she made him medicine, so she decided she was going to make him even more. That way, he'd definitely be happy!

Once she was done, she ran to her room, stopping when she heard someone knock on the door. "Papa!" She called out. "Someone's knocking!" She couldn't see through the door window due to it being too dark outside. Eventually, papa arrived, walking to the door and opening it.

"Hello, may I help you?" He asked, getting no response from the two men standing outside the door.

_No, I don't want to see this._

The moonlight shined off of something sharp in their hands, catching Midori's attention. One of them thrust his hands out, causing papa to make a pained noise, stepping back. He drew something from his belt, something that shined just as bright, slashing at the man. "Midori, hide!" He shouted. She dropped her bottle and let it shatter on the floor, running to the dining room.

_Don't make me see this. Please!_

Midori crawled into one of the emptier and more spacious cupboards, shutting the door and waiting, hunched over. She put her hand over her mouth in an attempt to quiet her breathing. Commotion could be heard, smashing and banging and shouting. It was getting louder, meaning that the men were coming closer. The dining table fell over with a thud, and through the thinnest crack in the cupboard door, she could see papa picking up one of the chairs, swinging it.

The force of the impact knocked one of the men down, and he didn't get back up, lying motionless on the ground. The other man shoved papa against the wall, holding a small blade and shoving it into his chest. Papa screamed, and Midori couldn't stop herself from screaming too. As papa sank to the floor, clutching the blade sticking out of his chest, the man turned his attention to her cupboard, walking up to her.

_No! No, no, no, please, I don't wanna see this!_

The man flung the cupboard door open and dragged her out as she screamed at the top of her lungs, kicking and punching and flailing. Angrily, he slammed her against the cabinet, making pain flare up in her back and knocking numerous bottles of medicine to the floor, shattering. "PAPA! PAPA, PLEASE! HELP ME! HELP!"

Papa jumped onto the man, grappling his neck and stabbing the blade into his throat. Midori fell to the ground, hitting her head against the cupboard as both men fell to the ground. "Papa!" She ran to him, hearing his ragged breathing, and rolled him off of the other man, who now laid dead. "I'll get you medicine! Which one do you need, papa!?"

"Midori…"

"Just tell me which one! I can grab it, I'm old enough to reach them on my own now!"

"Midori…please…" He brought a hand to her cheek, holding her attention. "I love you, so much…you're my little genius…stay strong, for me. Okay?" She wrapped her hands around his, squeezing it tight, feeling his fingers slowly go limp as he inhaled and never exhaled.

"…Papa? Papa? Papa, wake up. Papa, tell me which medicine you need." She shook him. "Papa, please, tell me." She shook him harder. "Papa, tell me what to do! Tell me how I can help you!" She kept shaking him, using the force of her entire body. He needed to wake up. He had to wake up. "Papa! Wake up, wake up, wake up! PAPA!"

Midori stopped as she saw droplets of water fall down onto papa's face. Reaching up towards her cheeks, she felt tears streaming down. Closing her eyes, she tried to force them away. She needed to be strong, she needed to be helpful. She couldn't cry, she had to help papa. But he couldn't be helped. When she realized this, she stopped shaking him, stared down at his lifeless body, and screamed.

_STOP!_

Midori stared right back at the little girl she used to be, and the little girl stared right back. "Why didn't we help papa?"

_What are you?_

"Why didn't we save him?"

_What are you!?_

"We didn't save him because we were too weak."

_You're…you're not real._

"We weren't strong like he wanted us to be."

_Stop._

Midori sat across the table from Asugi, who happily munched on a slice of her birthday cake. Uncle Saizo and aunt Kagero were sitting beside her, both giving her smiles. But they weren't the same as papa's. He smiled at her because she had done something to help, because she had made him happy. They were smiling at her because they felt sorry for her. She wanted to scream at them, to tell them to just be honest and let her know how much they hated her. She knew they hated her. She was never nice to them, she never helped them with anything, she just did nothing, all day long. And she was allowed to do nothing because papa was still dead, and she was still supposed to be coping.

When she first left the house and wandered out into the woods, she found a big, yellow, slimy slug. She knelt down and watched it, moving it way up a leaf, going seemingly nowhere. It was doing more than she was. It was surviving, fending for itself, finding its own food and shelter, protecting itself from predators. She wasn't doing any of that. She was wasting everyone else's time and effort, making them less happy.

Midori went back to the house, took some ingredients from the kitchen, and made some medicine. When she showed it to uncle Saizo and aunt Kagero, they gave her smiles that felt real. She had made them happy. Really, truly happy. It wasn't the same as it was with papa, but in that moment, she felt a little bit happy herself. So she kept making medicine, just like she did with papa.

_How are you showing me this? How do you know what I know?_

The little girl smiled. "We're seeing what we remember. We're seeing the truth."

_This isn't the truth._

"This is the truest thing we've seen in a long time."

_This isn't the truth._

"Then why are we so afraid of it?"

_Because you want me to believe it._

"We want to see the truth."

_You're not me. You're not me!_

A woman shouted in Midori's face, scaring her. "You said your medicine was going to help! You said it was going to work!"

"I-it was supposed to work, but it's not one-hundred percent…"

"He's dead! My son is dead because of you!" Asugi dragged the grieving woman back, getting her out of the house before running back to Midori. She was already in tears. He assured her that the woman was just too filled with grief to think straight. Midori had done all she could.

All she could do wasn't enough. Midori couldn't sleep, instead sitting in bed, thinking that over and over. All she could do wasn't enough. That woman's son was dead because Midori wasn't good enough to save him. She wasn't strong enough. She buried her face in her hands, sobbing as her fingers pressed as hard as they could against her scalp, digging into her hair.

The little girl tilted her head quizzically. "Didn't we fail? Weren't we not good enough?"

_Be quiet._

"That boy died because we couldn't save him. We killed him. He's dead because of us."

_Shut up._

"He's not the only one we killed."

_SHUT UP! DON'T SHOW ME THAT, DON'T SHOW ME!_

Shiro was dead. He was dead, and there was nothing Midori could do about it. She curled up in a ball in the middle of the forest, having cried for so long that she didn't have any more tears to cry. She vomited, tasting the stomach acid on her tongue, which only made her vomit again. She almost passed out from her rapid, uneven breathing, her pupils the size of pinpricks.

_STOP! STOP IT!_

"We killed Shiro. He's dead because we couldn't save him."

_That's not true. That's not true! That's not true!_

Hisame was dead. Midori hid in her tent, holding in her vomit for fear of it being discovered by someone else. She couldn't let them know how weak she was. She had to be strong, she had to be useful. If she wasn't useful, what good was she? She'd just be dead weight. Useless.

"We killed Hisame."

_That's not true! That's not true! That's not true!_

Dwyer was—

_THAT'S NOT TRUE! STOP IT, GET OUT OF MY HEAD, STOP LOOKING AT ME, STOP TALKING ABOUT ME! I'M NOT USELESS, I'M NOT WEAK! I'M MEANINGFUL, I CAN MATTER, I DO MATTER!_

Kana was here. She thought she'd never see him again, that he was gone forever. But here he was, looking at her with a stunned expression. They embraced, overjoyed to see eachother again after so long, and quickly caught up on everything that had happened to them.

_Kana. Oh gods, Kana…_

Kana shouted at her, disgusted that she'd try and claim that Nohr was beyond saving, that it had to be destroyed. It was the logical choice, it was the only real option, nothing else was even remotely as likely to succeed. Yet, everyone was disgusted by her. Nobody believed her. The people who did were already regretting it, finding themselves ostracized just as much as her. It wasn't long before they had to go through the rest of the journey on their own with a copy of Dwyer's manuscript, explaining how to navigate the Deeprealms.

Kana had called her a horrible person. The more she thought on his words, the more she began to agree with him. She was a horrible person.

_I'm sorry, Kana. I'm so sorry. Please, tell me you forgive me. Tell me I'm not a horrible person. If you don't, then I'll keep thinking I am. Just lie to me and tell me I'm a good person. I don't care if it's a lie, I just want to hear it from you. Please._

Everyone was looking at her. All their eyes were drilling holes into her skin as she sat there, hyperventilating, muttering the same words to herself over and over as she waited to get slaughtered in that tiny prison cell. They saw how much of a coward she was. They knew just how weak and spineless and pathetic she was.

Asugi tried to comfort her, tried to tell her that it was alright. He was lying. He was lying to her because he didn't want to have to deal with her knowing that he didn't want her to be weak. She wasn't supposed to be weak, she was supposed to be helping them. She was supposed to make medicine, to make plans, to support everyone. If she wasn't doing that, she wasn't making them happy. If she wasn't making them happy, she was useless.

"We've tried to be useful. We can't."

_No, no, they care about me! They want me to stay with them! I'm helpful, I do chores, I heal them!_

"Kiragi helps with chores now. Mitama can heal people."

_I've been leading everyone! I'm the one keeping everyone together!_

"Hinoka's leading them, now. They don't need you."

_That's not true, that's not true, that's not true!_

"We're useless. We're meaningless. We're worthless."

_STOP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!_

"Why are we weighing them down?"

_GET OUT OF MY HEAD, GET OUT OF MY HEAD, GET OUT OF MY HEAD, GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!_

"Why are we making their lives harder? Why do we have the right?"

_you're not real you're not real you're not real you're not_

"What makes us worth more than them, to do that? What makes us worth as much as them? Nothing. We aren't worth anything."

_Please leave me alone, stop talking to me, don't tell me these things._

"We're worthless."

_Stop…_

"We can still make everyone happy by not being around them. When we're gone, their lives will be so much better."

_I know. I know, I know. Stop reminding me. Stop making me want to._

"We should go someplace where they'll never find us, so that we don't have the chance of making anyone unhappy ever again."

_No. No, no, that's not true! I do matter, I am important, I help people, people like me, people want me to be alive, people don't want me to die! I shouldn't die, people would care if I died, people would want me to live! They'd be sad if I died!_

"Liar."

_No, that's not…I'm not…_

"We're lying. Nobody would care. They'd be glad we're gone. They'd be happy. Don't we want them to be happy?"

_Stop. Please._

"The only way to be happy is to die."

_Papa. Papa, help me. Save me. Don't leave me alone. Don't let me be worthless. Tell me I've been good, tell me I'm smart, tell me I matter. Don't leave me._

"Papa's dead because of us. We killed him."

Midori screamed. She screamed at the little girl, she screamed at herself, she screamed at papa and Asugi and Dwyer and Kiragi and Hinoka and the woman and her son. She screamed until her throat ached for relief and her vocal cords were strained like a violin's strings being pulled too hard by their bow.

Something snapped, and she fell. There was no wind, no acceleration, no ground to hit. She merely fell deeper and deeper into nothing, drowning in it, suffocating in it.

"Healing people, saving people, it's what I do. It's what I'm best at. But I…I couldn't save so many of them…"

"I-I'm just an apothecary. Even with Mitama's help, I couldn't… I couldn't save your eye. I'm so sorry."

"If you two can't look past your own selfishness, then why should we bother listening to a word either of you say?"

_Why should they bother? That's all I am. A bother._

"I have to save him, I have to! I can't die, I can't die, I can't fail! I can't die, I can't die, I can't die…"

_I didn't save him. He was stuck. Now I'm stuck too. That's for the best. They don't have to worry about me anymore._

"Yeah, he is way smarter than you. He's also way older than you, dummy. You've still got room to grow, which means you're gonna be Dwyer-levels of smart when you're his age."

_Is that why I'm so worthless? Because I'm a child? Because I'm too small to do anything useful?_

The little girl stood far away, perfectly still even as Midori kept falling. "We're too young. We can't keep up with the others. We won't be able to. We never could. We were wasting our time, and their time."

_I don't want to be useless. I want to be worth something. I want to help. I don't want to die._

"Is that what we want?"

_Yes. I want to be useful. I want it more than anything. I want to be strong like papa wanted. That's all I want._

Midori was no longer falling. She stared at the little girl, who was now right in front of her. The space between them shimmered, and suddenly the little girl was her age. An exact copy, down to every detail. It shimmered again, and there was an older girl, a teenager, one who looked familiar yet foreign, alien. Was that supposed to be her? The space shimmered once more, and she was looking at an adult. She looked so strong, so capable.

Midori reached a hand out to the woman, stopped by a barrier she couldn't see. From her hand, the barrier began to crack and splinter, the cracks shooting down to under her feet. Then, everything shattered, and she fell once more. With each passing second, she felt different. Something was changing, something was happening, something she couldn't see. It left her delirious, yet lucid. She was turning into something else. This should have scared her, but she found herself at peace with it. As long as she could be useful. As long as she wasn't worthless anymore.

Then, she was on the ground. It was freezing against her bare back, but she was too exhausted to move. There were sounds, voices, people that she couldn't see due to something covering her face. It was lifted off, and for a moment, she saw two familiar faces. Every motion, every minuscule movement took everything she had. She uttered one word before fading into sleep, desperate for some kind of reprieve. "Asu…gi…"

_Asugi. I can be helpful now. I can be useful. Please don't throw me away. Please don't abandon me. Please don't hate me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains lots of mental trauma and discussion of such. Self-loathing, major anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. If you feel uncomfortable with reading this, feel free to skip. It isn't plot-essential.


	41. Don't Worry

Today was a good day to fetch some water. That was what the girl thought to herself as she stepped outside of her small cabin, stretching with her fingers wrapped around the handle of her empty pail. First though, she needed to check on the chickens. She knelt down, peering into the coop and checking each individual chicken. Lana and Tia seemed to be doing well enough. Minerva was a bit jittery, but then again, she was always jittery. Tara was sitting down in a corner, looking a bit unwell. She took a mental note to check up on her later, to make sure she hadn't caught anything. After feeding them, she stood up, stretching once again.

Now that her daily chicken check-up was complete, she could fetch some water. On her way to the well, she stopped a few times to admire the world around her. Small streaks of clouds were scattered across an otherwise clear, blue sky. The wind rustled the pine trees around her, birds resting on the branches, singing their usual songs. She even spotted a fox darting into a bush, staring at her from within. She stared back for a while, but she ended up blinking first, so she gave the win to the fox.

Laundry day was tomorrow, she couldn't forget that. She needed to get the clothesline set up tonight, just to prepare. She was never very good with setting it up in the mornings; her tiredness generally led to her not securing it right and letting it fall right onto her. Bruises from that were never a good time.

She stopped, noticing a couple dozen dandelions growing in front of her. Nostalgic memories flooded her mind as she bent over, picking one. Standing up straight, she looked closely at it for a short while before blowing on it, sending wisps into the air, scattering to the winds. Satisfied, she continued on.

Once she arrived at the well, she sent the pail down, humming a tune as she made sure it was completely filled before she pulled it back up. She took her time, not wanting to spill any more water than was necessary. Grabbing the pail's handle, she looked up from the well, only to see something laying face-down on the ground near the woods. Her humming stopped as she rushed over to him, her cream-colored hair getting in her face due to the wind.

Setting the pail down next to the stranger, she squatted next to him and examined him with her soft blue eyes, trying to figure out what had happened to him. She lifted the hood of his cloak off, revealing strangely pointed ears and brown hair. The man began to stir, slightly scaring her. She steeled herself, softly speaking to him. "Hello? Excuse me, are you alright?"

The man lifted his head slightly up, letting her see his crimson eyes. "What…happened…?" He looked up at her. "Where am I?"

"You're by my well. Are you sure you're alright? Did something happen to you?" The man didn't answer, instead looking around at his surroundings. "What's your name?" That question made him turn his attention to her.

"My name…?"

Mozu

The rain that pelted her from all directions almost hurt from how heavy it was. It numbed her fingers, forcing her to tighten her grip on the bottle in order to prevent the risk of her fingers loosening too much. Inside of the bottle was a message, one that she had to deliver. Lives were on the line. So, she kept running, refusing to let the downpour stop her.

Mozu passed by one of the town squares, where a few soldiers were trying to gain recruits for the Nohrian army. Rain or shine, they were always there. One had to admire their dedication to the cause, the dedication that Queen Camilla had inspired. She had done an astounding job in improving the nation's morale in the few months since she had become queen, to the point where she was already quite beloved by the populace. They often described her as a kind-hearted ruler, a fierce warrior, and a worthy successor. Manipulating people was her talent, but this was a feat, even for her.

Where was he, where was he? He was late, as always. That was fine for Mozu when it was a simple drop, but this was too risky for that. The longer she loitered, the more attention she was likely to attract. Why couldn't he act professional, just for once?

Someone approached, their hood drawn over their face. It could be him, but it could be someone trying to intercept the package. There were rules for this. As they approached, she spoke timidly. "Getting along well? This weather sure is something." The person looked up. It was a woman. Mozu stood ready, clutching the knife hidden in her sleeve. Instead, the woman walked right past, minding her own business. Not an enemy. Just a citizen who wasn't a fan of idle chatter.

A hand set itself down on her shoulder, making her nearly scream in terror as she whipped around, holding the knife to the stranger's neck. From under his own hood, Niles gave her a cocky smile. "So you're finally getting rid of me, huh?" Her shoulders relaxed, and she let out a long sigh, her heartbeat slowing down.

"Jeez, Niles, don't do that!" Mozu slid the knife back into her sleeve, handing him the bottle. "Get this to the safehouse down south." Niles didn't take it. "What're you waiting for?"

"I just think I should receive some proper payment for my work. Oh, and for you almost cutting my throat open. Don't you?" Of course he'd ask. He always asked every time she passed along a package. She'd hoped he wouldn't do it this time, but it seemed he wouldn't be swayed. Fine.

Mozu leaned close and planted a kiss on his lips, pulling back before he could make it more than just a quick peck. "You'd better speed up to compensate. Clock's ticking." She pushed the bottle into his hands, closing his fingers around it.

"Of course. You up for dinner tonight?" He turned and started walking away. Oh,  _now_  he was going. It was obvious he was just pressuring her into giving a quick answer.

"Tonight. Eight o'clock. That one café with the purple flowers out front. Don't be late." Niles nodded and broke into a jog. He turned a corner, and just like that, he was gone. He could be such a jerk sometimes. Still, she supposed it was just another thing that made her like him so much. He never did things like this with the intent to make her mad. Moderately annoyed, sure, but never mad. He cared about her too much to try and make her bad. Honestly, he was a bit of a softie, something she only found out after they became a couple. If she was being honest, she found it pretty cute.

It was just the two of them now, but Mozu didn't mind too much anymore. After all, they had eachother to rely on, and helping out local rebellions and resistances meant they were still contributing to the fight. All in all, things were going rather well.

Corrin

Things were going awfully. Corrin had never been to Notre Sagesse, so when she heard about Mount Sagesse, she just assumed it was going to be rather tame. There was no way it could rival the mountains of Nohr. Well, it didn't rival them, but it was pretty damn close to doing that. She could even see snow covering the peak. Surely Nyx didn't mean she had to go to the very top, right? …Right?

At least the seaside town she had stayed in was very pleasant. She would have gotten there much sooner, but as it turns out, being in a country whose queen wants you more than literally anything else means you have to spend a lot of time hiding, backtracking, covering your footprints, and taking the slow and risky routes that nobody will follow you through. Being in a neutral territory, meanwhile, was much more relaxing, especially when you haven't committed any major crimes there yet. The whole seaside atmosphere was surprisingly enjoyable for her, to the point where she considered possibly just staying there for a while, not going on any crazy quests or journeys.

Still, there were journeys Corrin had to go on, and so stopping to rest for too long wasn't an option. That meant that she had to get climbing gear, rations, and a map. She employed the five-finger discount, of course, and thankfully didn't get caught at any point. Though, the hood over her head at all times probably didn't make her look like an honest citizen. Still, it was better than showing off her cream-colored hair and crimson eyes, which were a dead giveaway to anyone who knew what she looked like.

The smoothness of Corrin's stay in Notre Sagesse ended there. As soon as she started heading up the mountain, she realized just how out of her element she was. As it turned out, the island's humid, oceanic environment invited quite the different flora and fauna than the harsh, bitter cold of Nohr did. She stopped counting the mosquito bites on her arms after they entered the double digits. And the sunburns, oh gods the sunburns. She thought Hoshido was bad, but at least she was indoors most of the time.

The humidity made starting fires an absolute pain in the ass. It was easy when the air was as stale as a loaf of bread left out overnight, but when the moisture was this thick, it meant getting anything beyond a spark was like pulling teeth. Setting up her tent in the uneven environment also proved to be quite the task, one that she dreaded every night. She remembered when everyone would help eachother out with setting up their tents, and how it would get done in no time at all. Of course, everyone was gone now.

"Stupid Mozu…stupid Niles…who do they think they are!?" When Corrin told them of her plans to go to Notre Sagesse, she was met with complete disapproval. Niles and Mozu wanted to stay and fight, to help their friends, rather than follow the instructions of Nyx, who clearly was keeping a mountain of secrets from them. Niles finding out about Rinkah leaving didn't help much. So, they split up, and not on very good terms. It didn't bother her. Not at all.

Speaking of mountains, the air was starting to get thinner. That made climbing even more difficult. Fun. At least there was still plenty of greenery, which meant living at this altitude wasn't too tough. "I don't need them anyways. I can climb this stupid mountain all on my own! In fact, it'll be easier without those jerks weighing me down." Yeah. Yeah, it was actually a good thing! They wouldn't be bothering her, they wouldn't force her to slow down. She could go at her own pace.

What was so important about this dumb mountain anyways? Was there going to be some ancient temple on the top, with mystical monks doing that humming thing that they always do? The thought of that made her crack a much-needed smile. That smile was then promptly wiped away by the sound of a girl's scream, which sent Corrin running in its direction.

"Let me go! Please, stop!" A girl with hair that was a soft, light purple and eyes that were a light blue was being grabbed and yanked away by three people who looked like they had no good intentions in mind. The girl, spotting Corrin, shouted out to her. "Help me! Help me, please!"

The three turned their attention to Corrin, who hesitantly approached. "Mind your own business." One of them said, a threatening tone to her voice. "And this isn't any of yours."

"Please, I haven't done anything wrong! You have to help me!" The poor girl was desperate, still struggling against the much stronger man who held her by the waist. "They're gonna take me somewhere horrible! I don't wanna go there, I don't wanna go to Nohr!" Nohr? Ah, now it made sense. Those three must've been Nohrian spies, or at least involved with them. That meant that it was this girl's lucky day.

Corrin smiled. "Unfortunately, it is my business. Her screaming is really damn annoying, and I'd really like it to stop. Now, I could just wait for you all to leave, but I could just take you out much faster. Alternatively, you could run." She unsheathed her sword, holding it comfortably in her reverse grip. "Right now." They weren't swayed, the woman drawing an axe and the man not holding the girl drawing a sword of his own. "Fine then. Don't say I didn't warn you."

The two walked to Corrin, slowly, cautiously. They clearly didn't take her as seriously as she would've liked, but they still recognized her as a threat. The woman, bless her heart, thought she could get a quick strike in, swinging low. Corrin swung up, knocking the woman off-balance, following it up by charging into her, shoving her to the ground. The man swung at her, forcing her to parry it away, kicking him hard in the shin and sending him onto one knee, kicking him in the face right afterward.

The woman grabbed at Corrin's ankles, trying to trip her up. Corrin responded by slashing the woman's hand, making her let go. With the two of them incapacitated for the time being, Corrin ran at the third man, attacking while he was still holding the girl, not giving him a chance to grab his own weapon. She hit his back, going from the base all the way to his nape, taking him down in one go.

With their fallen comrade as proof of her ability, Corrin turned to face the other two, who were still getting up. "Tell you what: I'll be nice. Scram now, and I won't kill you too." The two goons looked at eachother, silently deliberating.

They looked back at Corrin, the woman in particular bearing a nasty scowl. "Arrogant bitch." They hurried off, disappearing into the foliage. Corrin very nearly chased after them for that insult, but she reminded herself there was still that girl they had tried to take.

"You alright?" Corrin asked, looking at the timid girl. "The hell does Nohr want with you?" She didn't look like the kind of person to warrant this kind of effort to catch her.

"Thank you so much!" The girl grabbed Corrin's hand with both of her own, rapidly shaking it. "Oh, I thought I was a goner for sure! But then you came in and saved me, and I'm so grateful! My name is Layla, it's a pleasure to meet you, absolute pleasure—"

Corrin yanked her hand away. "Stop. Breathe." Layla followed her instructions. "Now, start over."

"Right, right." Layla took another breath. "My name is Layla. I'm a songstress from Cyrkensia. I must thank you again for saving me from those people. They would've dragged me to some dungeon for sure. I'm not made for those kinds of situations!"

It was hard to believe Layla's story, considering the situation. "So what is a songstress from Cyrkensia doing running from Nohrians in Notre Sagesse? Because I can't figure out how those two things connect, at all." That seemed to make the girl rather nervous. She was definitely hiding something.

"Ah, well, that's quite the funny story! You see, I…er…" Layla looked around, as if there might've been somebody watching them. Corrin took the hint, realizing this girl would rather not explain, so she casually began to walk off, wanting to get back on the mountain path. "H-hey, wait!" Layla ran after her, flustered and nervous. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going up the mountain. Obviously." Corrin brushed some foliage out of her way, which ended up smacking Layla once she let go. Regardless, Layla was undeterred, still following behind her.

"Could I come with you? More people could come after me, and you seem to know your way with a weapon!" Layla's hopeful request was met with a dismissive grunt. "Please, I won't slow you down! I can keep up!"

"Yeah, I can see that." Layla followed behind Corrin with little issue, even though it was clear as day that she was not very used to traveling through the wilderness. "Listen, I'm not just gonna let a criminal tag along. For all I know, you're a mass murderer. I'm not very keen on getting my throat cut open while I sleep."

"I didn't commit any crimes! It's more…guilt by association, I suppose." Corrin's curiosity was piqued, something which Layla seemed to take note of. "It's my sister. She's fighting against Nohr, and doing a good job at it. Because of that, they want to stop her, and that means using me as bait. She had gotten me a new life in Cyrkensia, but I got found out. Notre Sagesse was supposed to be our meeting point, in case something happened. I just hope she got my letter telling her what happened…"

Layla didn't sound like she was lying, and she certainly didn't look like it either. Still, Corrin had met some pretty convincing liars. Although, Layla's innocence was further supported by her having no visible weapons, something which no decent criminal would do. She slung her knapsack down her arm and tossed it to Layla, who caught it after juggling it around for a moment. "Here. You can help me out by carrying my stuff." Bringing her along wasn't a good idea. If she didn't bring unwanted attention on Corrin, then Corrin would probably end up being the one to bring unwanted attention on her. Still, Layla going on her own didn't seem like a great idea either.

By sunset, the two of them arrived at a town, one that was much less fancy than the one Corrin had sailed to, but still nice nonetheless. It had an inn, a bar, a few shops, and a…hot spring? What the hell was a hot spring? Layla eyed it rather keenly; was it something worth checking out?

As it turned out, a hot spring was exactly what the name suggested: naturally heated water that guests could relax in. Corrin had always taken cold baths, enjoying how they kept her alert and awake, but after enough begging, Layla convinced her to pony up enough money to afford entry for the both of them, and before Corrin knew it, she was in nothing but a towel, touching the water with her toes while Layla was already enjoying the water to the fullest.

"C'mon, stop being such a scaredy-cat!" Layla referring to Corrin as something akin to a cat was something the thief took quite personally, casting an annoyed glare. "The water's amazing! It really takes the stress off!" She moved over to where Corrin was, watching impatiently.

"Just gimme a minute!" Corrin tried to act angry to hide her skittishness at the prospect. "This is a new experience for me, okay? I gotta take a minute to adapt." She dipped her toes in again, recoiling from the heat. It wasn't painful so much as it was uncomfortable and unfamiliar.

"A minute? It's been ten." Layla rested her head in her hand, propping it up on the edge of the hot spring. "You know, I just realized that I never got your name. It's a bit unfair that you get to know mine, but not the other way around, you know?

"My name? Oh, it's—" While Corrin was distracted, Layla grabbed her by the leg and yanked her into the spring, resulting in a massive splash and a very angry woman. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR!? I SWEAR, I'M GONNA KNOCK YOUR HEAD OFF!" Layla was too busy laughing hysterically to take the threat seriously. A few moments later, as Corrin's anger began to subside, she realized that the water was actually…really, really nice.

Corrin didn't have long to appreciate the spring, however. Her suspicion had started to grow. "Hey, Layla? I don't think we're alone."

"Well of course we aren't alone. Any girl can come in here if she pays. Probably just someone getting ready."

"I know that. But someone's been here for a while, yet they haven't said anything." Corrin had seen it occasionally; sometimes the person would briefly be visible before hiding behind something else. She had initially brushed it off as someone being shy, but this person was definitely watching them. "Still, she hasn't tried to kill us yet. Maybe they're just performing reconnaissance."

Layla suddenly looked rather self-conscious, trying to find the mystery woman. "Maybe!? She's either here to kill us, or she's not! I think figuring that out is a bit of a priority!" She gasped. "Do you think it's that Nohrian lady from earlier? The one who ran off?"

Well, that seemed as probable as any other guess. Only one way to find out. "HEY, I SEE YOU! COME OUT, AND WE CAN GET TO ROUND TWO! UNLESS YOU DON'T THINK YOU CAN TAKE ME?" Layla started to panic at Corrin's blatant provocation.

A new voice spoke from right behind Corrin, making her jump back, letting out a terrified scream. "There was never a round one, so I'm confused as to how there could be a round two." Corrin rushed out of the spring, grabbing a towel and wrapping it over herself, looking at the source of the voice. The third woman's head was peeking out from behind some rocks, giving Corrin a blank stare. "I have no intention of hurting you, if hearing that puts you at ease. I merely thought that this relaxed situation presented the best opportunity for me to introduce myself."

Corrin was caught off-guard by the strange explanation, but her lack of a response did give her time to look at the girl. What struck her immediately was how familiar she looked. Blue hair, cold eyes…wait. "You're one of the royal retainers! Why the hell would I trust you?" Layla had gotten out as well, standing behind Corrin.

"I was a royal retainer. I no longer hold that position." Corrin and Layla looked at eachother, then back at Beruka, highly suspicious. "Allow me to make a formal introduction. My name is Beruka, and I am here to save your life."

Corrin wanted to hear more. But first, there was an important question to ask. "Why are you still hiding behind that rock?" She spotted what almost looked like a hint of a blush on Beruka's cheeks.

"I, ah…am not dressed." Oh gods, she actually  _was_  shy. What was Corrin about to get herself into?

Velouria

Over the past few months, Velouria had grown to utterly despise Laslow and Odin. Those two claimed there was a safe place they all could go to, yet frustratingly, they never gave the full picture of where exactly it was. Wherever it was, it was apparently crucial that nobody found out. Because of this, they had to rely on instructions that were handed out piecemeal.

Nobody else seemed very happy with the secrets either. Siegbert seemed like he was ready to threaten one of them into giving the information up any day now. Forrest was keeping his distance from the others, still the odd man out even after all this time. Jakob was doing his best to try and keep this mud boat from sinking. As for Xander and Leo, they were still coming to terms with the fact that they each had a son. The tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife.

Laslow assured everyone that they were very close to their destination, but the months of avoiding soldiers and Camilla's attention had led to a lot of going in circles. Who knew how much longer it would actually be? The question made Velouria sigh, her arms hanging lazily over the back of their covered wagon. "Everything alright?" Siegbert asked, sitting down next to her.

"No. I liked my bed. It was nice and soft and cushy. This wagon isn't any of those things. I left all my treasures at Krakenburg. We're wanted fugitives. Nothing about this is alright." Sure, Velouria knew she was pouting, but she wanted to keep pouting.

"Everything will work out eventually. I'm sure of it." Siegbert ruffled her hair, making her smile for a moment. "Besides, at least you aren't going through the most awkward family reunion in your life." That got her thinking; her father was still alive, right? Maybe once this was all over, she could go visit him again. Thinking about that made her cheer up near-instantly, though Siegbert thought it was thanks to his joke alone.

"Well, maybe if your family weren't a bunch of sticks in the mud, it'd be a bit easier." The snarky retort got a chuckle out of her fiancé, something that she didn't often achieve. He was always so dour, even when talking to her. She couldn't wait for this to be over, so she could see him be happy again.

Velouria rapped her fingers against the outside of the wagon, taking in the smell of the forest they were traveling through. The flowers here smelled nice, though there were a lot of boars around, and they smelled significantly less nice. A new set of smells emerged, making her ears perk up. She squinted, looking at the path behind them, eventually spotting two people on horseback. One of them smelled completely unfamiliar, but the other…oh no. "We need to go faster." She sat up, startling the others.

Odin was woken up from his sleep by her sudden loud voice, rubbing his eyes. "What? Huh? What's going on?" Velouria didn't bother to explain, rushing to the front end of the wagon, calling out to Xander and Laslow, who were sitting up front, guiding the horses.

"We need to speed up, right now! It's Peri, she's found us!" Everyone was immediately getting up once they heard that. Velouria looked back out, seeing that the two were already starting to gain on them. One of them raised a bow, sending an arrow right at them. It barely missed, sailing past the wagon in a blur of purple light.

Forrest rushed to Velouria's side, looking at the two riders. "Nina! It's Nina!" Another arrow flew at them, embedding itself in the back of the wagon, purple flame quickly starting to spread. Odin grabbed their bucket of drinking water and used it to douse out the flame, but if those arrows kept flying, they'd run out of water to use quickly.

They couldn't stop; that was out of the question. They'd be sitting ducks, and even if they did win, a lot of people were going to die. Siegbert could die. Velouria wasn't going to let that happen. Another arrow tore a hole through the cloth covering, singeing it. Leo had gotten his tome at the ready, sending a bolt of lightning out at the riders. A flaming arrow hit the lightning, sending it flying off into a tree.

The gap had been closed enough for Velouria to hear Peri's sadistic laughter, sending chills down her spine. Their speed had increased, but it wasn't enough; their wagon would never outpace a single, barely burdened horse. Velouria couldn't let Siegbert die. She wasn't going to lose somebody close to her ever again. All other options had failed. She could only think of one more solution.

Velouria turned to Siegbert, grabbed him by the cheeks, and kissed him, holding the kiss for as long as she could. When she pulled away, she saw the confused look on Siegbert's face. It broke her heart. "Velouria, why did you—"

"I'll come back. Don't worry." Velouria grabbed her Beaststone from her pocket, holding it tight before jumping out of the back of the wagon, transforming into a massive wolf-like beast. She could hear Siegbert screaming after her, his voice getting fainter and fainter as the wagon kept moving. Velouria steeled her resolve, charging at Peri and the possessed Nina.

Nina leaped off her horse, aiming another shot at Velouria, who increased her speed to throw off her aim. She pounced onto Peri, hearing her scream in pain as she was knocked off her horse and onto the ground. "VARA! HELP!" Peri writhed in Velouria's hand before being hurled against a tree, wood splintering from the impact.

Velouria spun to face Vara, who was already readying another shot. The Wolfskin broke into a sprint, trying to ignore the searing pain of the arrow hitting her side. She swung her paw, sending Vara flying, roughly impacting the ground.  _I'm winning! I'm doing it!_

Then, Velouria's ears picked up the sound of more hoofbeats.  _Damn it, backup!?_  She growled, turning to face the oncoming platoon of Cavaliers. There had to be dozens of them.  _No problem. I can take them!_  Peri was still healing, and Vara didn't look like she was getting up anytime soon. She had time to fight the soldiers.

Mounted archers sent arrow whizzing towards her, forcing her to evade, running to a tree, grabbing the trunk and shoving against it, using the created momentum to get an extra burst of speed. The soldiers had begun to disperse, but she still managed to charge into a good half-dozen, flinging them to the sides and even stepping on two of them. She could smell the blood in the air, and it only served to send a rush of adrenaline through her veins.  _You bastards think you can hurt Siegbert!?_

Velouria swept her leg out, kicking a few more Cavaliers.  _You think you can kill him!?_  She jumped up, landing on a tree and snapping its trunk in half. She grabbed the top half, swinging it like a weapon. A few Cavaliers managed to strike her legs, but she tried to ignore the pain, hurling the tree trunk at another group, hitting someone.  _You think you're gonna stop me!?_

A bestial roar escaped her maw, followed by her leaning down and grabbing one of the soldiers in her mouth, chomping him clean in half.  _I'll kill you! I'll kill every last one of you! I'll keep Siegbert safe!_  Dust flooded the air around her, having been kicked up by her rampage. It got in her eyes, stinging like needles, but she kept them open, looking for more soldiers to crush.

A throwing spear dug into her side, the pain too intense to ignore. Roaring, she ripped it out, snapping it like a twig. She remembered when her father was teaching her how to fight in her beast form. She remembered the smile on his face when she managed to throw a giant boulder, despite being only a cub at the time.  _Daddy, are you watching me? Are you proud?_

The remaining soldiers were shouting at eachother, trying to establish some sense of order, but failing miserably. Instead, they just kept doing what they thought was best, ending up with some collisions from two soldiers running to the same place without realizing it. Velouria took advantage, stomping on the Nohrians who had fallen off their steeds.  _Daddy, I won't let it happen again! I won't lose Siegbert! I'm strong now, I can protect him! I couldn't save you, but I can save him! No, I will save him!_  Only a few more now.

She picked a soldier up, hearing his frantic screams. She held no mercy for the man, throwing him at one of his comrades, killing them both upon impact. The last couple were trying to retreat, but she refused to let them. She ripped a tree from its roots, holding it over her head, feeling the dirt and mud fall onto her. Then, she hurled it as hard as she could, watching it soar through the air and hit them all. As the tree rolled to a stop, she could see blood coating the side that had hit them.  _Siegbert, I did it! You're safe now, you're—_

A sharp, searing, unimaginable pain bloomed in her spine, inducing a scream of agony. In a matter of seconds, she was down on her stomach, her lack of strength reverting her back to her humanoid form. She tried to get up, but her legs wouldn't do what she wanted. They wouldn't do anything. She didn't even feel them hit the ground.

"Jeez, aren't you a pain in the ass?" Vara's voice rung out as she and Peri approached. "Damn good at killing though, I'll give you that." She stepped on Velouria's back, making her scream again as she dug her heel in, twisting it. "Oh, I think my arrow snapped your spine! I wasn't trying to break your back, but I'll take it. As always, I amaze even myself!"

Peri whined impatiently. "Let's just kill her and get back to following them!"

"No can do. The bitch got our horses. We'll have to fall back and regroup, especially since she took out our backup. Like I said, a real pain in the ass." Vara pulled her leg away, only to swiftly kick Velouria in the side. She whimpered from the pain, feeling a few of her ribs crack. "Although, now that I think about it…I know I said we'd keep all of you alive, just in case one of you could wield a Divine Weapon, but I get the feeling an animal like you won't be able to wield jack shit."

Velouria tried desperately to reach her Beaststone, only inches out of her reach. To add insult to injury, Peri kicked it away with a gleeful smile. It took Velouria all she had not to black out from the pain. Lifting her head up as high as she could to look at Vara, she snarled. "Nina smelled different. She smelled like dirt and dust. Do you know what you smell like?" Vara raised an eyebrow. "Nothing. You smell like nothing at all. You don't smell like any person would, because you're not a person. You're nothing."

_I'm sorry, Siegbert. I protected you, I saved you, but…_

Vara raised her bow, pulling back on the bowstring with an expression of pure hatred. She aimed right at Velouria's face, and let her arrow fly.

_It looks like I won't be coming back after all._


	42. Be Happy

Shigure

Everything had changed so quickly, and Shigure found himself still trying to catch up. He had found out about a sister he never knew he had, he was now enemies with Kana, his best friend, and mother now served Queen Camilla, a woman who he didn't trust remotely. Still, he remained steadfast in his objective: protecting mother.

What Shigure was surprised about most of all was that it took this long to just get himself, Soleil, and mother eating at the same dinner table. Though, eating at the same table and actually eating as a family were two entirely different things. No one had spoken a word, their apprehension leaving them as if they were mute. Soleil nibbled on a leaf of lettuce, while mother cut another piece of her steak. Shigure had barely eaten himself. They all would occasionally glance at one another, only for their eyes to dash away when making contact with another's.

Soleil cleared her throat, and everyone else stopped what they were doing. "Ah, I…" She stopped, taking a deep breath. "I'm curious as to what mother was like when you were growing up, Shigure. I never had the chance to meet her. She fled from Nohr when I was an infant." It was strange, knowing that he had never known father while she had never known mother. From their conversation on how them being siblings was even possible, they deduced that mother had likely been pregnant with Shigure when she fled. Why she left father and Soleil behind was, unfortunately, something they couldn't understand.

"Well, she was compassionate, and caring." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see mother watching him. "I never felt like she ignored me, and no matter what kind of mood she was in, she'd always smile whenever I was around. She'd teach me songs, and help me and Kana—" He stopped, guilt hitting him hard as soon as Kana entered his mind. He cleared his throat. "She was a wonderful person. And she still is." Azura's face lit up a bit, and Soleil smiled at the description.

The happiness didn't last, as Azura asked, "You grew up with Kana?"

"Ah, yes. He and I lived together. His father entrusted him under your care when he was around nine, I believe. We were almost like brothers, in a way." Though Shigure's words about Kana were kind, he knew inside that they were hollow and meaningless. Kana was in Krakenburg's dungeons, constantly pressed for information, and always staying silent. Shigure had pleaded with him to just tell them something, but his best friend simply gave him a look of utmost fury and betrayal, saying nothing. Camilla had told him to stay silent on Kana's captivity, and he shamefully agreed for fear of what his family would think of him. He couldn't help but feel that he was weak because of this.

"Did Corrin live with you as well?" Azura's voice told Shigure that Corrin was still a difficult topic for her, but despite them now being on opposing sides, she still cared about Corrin.

"No, she did not. In fact, the last time anybody saw her was when she had just given birth. What happened to her after that was a mystery. It's funny; he was actually much younger than me when we first met. Time in the Deeprealms was finicky, however, and we became separated at one point. When we reunited, for me it had been a few weeks. For him, it had been years. He was never quite the same man after that. He never told me what had transpired during his absence, and I never asked. I always wished he could return to his old self and just be happy."

"Why would she abandon her child and disappear?" Soleil's face was solemn. "I know she's not the best person, but I wouldn't think that she'd do something like that. It just seems so…so wrong."

"Why she left Kana with us, I do not know. Once she had disappeared, rumors about what happened to her spread far and wide. Some said she had abandoned her mission of fighting Nohr. Others believed she had simply perished. No one ever knew for sure."

After Shigure had said that, the room went quiet once more. It seemed that everybody had lost their appetite after that. Mother was the first to excuse herself, followed by Soleil, leaving him alone. He stared down at his food, feeling as if he had just ruined everything once again. He just wanted to keep his family together, but that seemed more and more impossible every day.

On his way to his room, Shigure spotted mother standing outside of Aunt Elise's room, an expression of worry on her face. "Is everything alright?" His words made her jump, having not noticed him. "My apologies. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"No, no, it's quite alright. I just…I wanted to say goodnight to Elise, but I can't work up the courage. Not when I know I'm lying to her. The state she's been in has been so precarious, and just as she started to recover, Camilla thrust that burden upon her. I just want to make sure she's okay. I can't afford to lose anyone else."

Hesitantly but hopefully, Shigure set a comforting hand on mother's shoulder. "I can go in with you if you'd like. Elise seems to have taken a liking to me, after all." Azura gave a grateful nod. He grabbed the doorknob and slowly opened it, hearing the door creak as it pushed back.

Elise was sitting on her bed, eyes closed in intense concentration. In front of her, through a small crack that had formed in the stone in her floor, a small flower was growing taller and brighter, its brilliant purple hue practically radiating. Elise held Brynhildr in her hand, the tome open and glowing faintly with power. Her eyes fluttered for a moment. Upon seeing them, she gasped, the glow around the book disappearing and the flower wilting into a dead, shriveled up shadow of its former self. "Hello, Elise," Azura said.

"H-Hello, Azura. Shigure." Elise's voice was soft and meek, a far cry from the exuberant young girl from before Xander and Leo were marked as traitors. "It's nice to see you."

"We were heading off to bed, and we thought saying goodnight to you first would be better." Elise took comfort in that, but her sadness was still evident. Her room was dirtier, darker, as if the moon was now further away, casting less light. Ever since Camilla had entrusted her with Brynhildr, she had spent nearly every day practicing with it nonstop, only eating when her retainers forced her to, and only sleeping when she passed out from exhaustion. Azura had once tried to take it from her, to force her to do something else for a little bit, but when Elise screamed no and the small plant she was creating suddenly shot up into the ceiling, now a jagged, thorn-covered branch, Azura stepped away, leaving her younger sister to continue.

"Thank you for that. I appreciate it." Despite the words being genuine, they sounded hollow. Still, nobody was going to address that. The only way to communicate with Elise that everyone agreed on was short, simple bursts of pleasantries, followed by a polite exit. Nobody wanted to shatter the princess's calm yet unstable demeanor, even if they wished they could.

With nothing else to say, Azura and Shigure stepped out, gently closing the door behind them. Azura gave him a thankful look but said nothing before leaving for her own room. He stood outside of Elise's room for a while, hearing the hum of Brynhildr's magic. It was almost hypnotic, in a way. Then again, it had seemed to ensnare Elise in its spell. Or perhaps she had ensnared it, forcing it to bend to her will, the stability of her mind becoming less ensured every time it tried to resist. She wasn't alright, and everyone knew it. But nobody wanted to risk her becoming worse. So they would simply continue to let the problem fester like a wound, hoping a better option would emerge. Shigure didn't hold as much of that hope as others. Hope for anything was something he couldn't seem to muster up anymore.

Corrin

Corrin chugged down the last half of her beer bottle, slamming it onto a bar table. Layla sat next to her, hands in her lap and eyes sticking to the floor, while Beruka sat across, looking completely unimpressed. "Thanks for covering the tab! Maybe you're pretty alright after all." Corrin gave a wink to the assassin, who merely sighed. "Hey, didn't you mention you had someone else with you? Where are they?"

Beruka seemed a bit nervous about that. "Ah, well, I don't let him into establishments such as this. He's not quite suited to them." A raised eyebrow was the only response she got. "He's not of the age to be in here just yet."

"He's a  _kid_?" Of course he had to be a kid. Nothing in Corrin's life could ever be simple, could it? "Fine, whatever. I don't want the details. Just run over the situation again."

"Nohr has sent two very dangerous people after you with the goal of capturing you and bringing you to Queen Camilla. If they succeed, you will no doubt suffer greatly until she gets whatever it is she wants from you. I encountered these people once, and my knowledge of them is why I've come here to keep you safe. There's a girl named Rhajat, a Hoshidan who has an uncanny ability to summon Faceless with no effort. Then there's Shura, whom from what I can gather is an expert thief."

"Oh yeah, I'm aware. I've met both of them." Corrin started grinning as Beruka gave her a confused look. Soon enough, that grin turned into somewhat drunken laughter. "I'm sorry, I just really wanted to hear you say it so I could see the look on your face when you realize you wasted your breath!"

"Princess Corrin, this is no laughing matter. The situation at hand is one of life and death." Upon hearing that, Layla immediately began to panic, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Wait, what!? Huh!?" The songstress seemed to be having a meltdown at the information. "You're  _the_  Princess Corrin!? The lost heir, the queen of thieves, the red-eyed demon!? When exactly were you planning on telling me any of this!?"

All Corrin did was shrug, giving Layla a cocky wink. "Oh, did I forget to mention? Whoopsie-daisy. Also, can we go back to those awful nicknames you said? Do people actually call me that? Because if so, I'm gonna have to come up with a nickname that actually sounds half-decent."

"Oh, well, 'lost heir' is what you tend to get called in Hoshido. In Nohr, the demon one is used more often. And 'queen of thieves'? Well, you can, uh, probably piece that one together." Corrin knew that more people were going to recognize her, hence why she wore her hood. Still, she had no idea she had gotten this damn popular. That put a serious dent in her efforts to stay incognito, especially if she was well-known amongst her fellow thieves and vagrants.

Beruka cleared her throat, attempting to steer the conversation back to the reason she was here. "As I was saying, I'm here to keep you safe from them. There's no telling when and where they'll find you, and how prepared you'll be to fend them off. Especially since you've been traveling alone for months now."

"Wait, how did you know I was traveling alone? Come to think of it, how the hell did you even find me in the first place?"

"It was rather simple, really. I simply kept an ear out for people talking about a person matching your appearance. Eventually, I managed to trace your path to Notre Sagesse. From there, I learned about a store that was robbed of mountain-climbing equipment, and the dots were easy to connect from there." Damn, was Corrin really leaving that obvious of a trail? If this girl could find her, then maybe the idea of Shura tracking her down wasn't as farfetched as she originally thought. Especially since he had already succeeded once before.

"Well, you gave me your warning. Thanks a million. Door's that way, buh-bye." Corrin shooed Beruka away with a wave of the hand, but the assassin stayed put. "What? Listen, I'm not gonna make small talk. I'd prefer to be alone. Not exactly in a mood to hang out with other people."

"What about me?" Layla pointed towards herself.

"You don't count. You're more like a mouse. Or a bird that won't stop chirping in my ear."

"Corrin," Beruka said firmly. "I am here to keep you safe. I am confused as to why you wish to reject this assistance."

"Because I don't trust you, I don't trust that kid outside to keep me safe, hell, I barely trust Layla, and most importantly? People kinda piss me off right now." After all, every friend Corrin's ever made was either dead, busy, or angry at her. Taking a break from human interaction while searching for answers seemed like the best course of action. Of course, she already had Layla with her, and now two assassins also wanted to help her out. Were weirdos just attracted to her, or was she attracted to them?

"That's probably a good idea, kid." Corrin's hand went on her sheathed knife the second she heard a new, familiar voice. Beruka had done the same, and Layla nearly jumped out of her seat. Of all the goddamn people, it had to be Shura who casually strolled over to their table, taking a seat as if nothing were wrong. "After all, every buddy you've got is a couple dozen more ways you can get killed." He raised an eyebrow as if he had just noticed the caution in the air. "Relax, I ain't here to cause trouble."

"You were last time. Last time, my guard was down. You really think I'm gonna make that mistake again?" Just threatening him like this felt wrong. Corrin tried to concentrate on the situation, her eyes quickly scanning the room for other potential threats. A few patrons here and there, but none of them seemed to take note of the brewing tension at the table just yet.

"Last time, you had a few more pals with you. Funny, I'm not seeing them. Where's the chick who almost threw a brick at my face?"

"Gone," Corrin muttered through gritted teeth.

"The rest too? Huh, that's interesting. How about Niles and Rinkah? You three stuck to eachother like glue."

"Gone. The both of them. For good, too. We went our separate ways."

"Well damn, I'm sorry about that kiddo. I liked 'em too. Can't imagine what might'a happened to get you three to split up."

Beruka interrupted the conversation. "Don't pretend you're here for pleasantries. What are you trying to accomplish through this conversation?" Shura found that quite funny, chuckling.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it. Besides, you should be worrying more about that kid of yours outside. My friend Rhajat doesn't really like loud, obnoxious brats. And from what I gathered from following the two of you here, he fits that description to a tee." Beruka was out the door before Corrin could even say anything. Just what was so important about that kid? "And you." Shura's gaze went to Layla, who winced. "You must be that songstress I was told about. I was gonna let those two spies at the docks get you, but since you're both here in one spot, I might as well get myself a bonus."

Great, the spies had told Shura about Layla. Corrin should've killed them when she had the chance. She hated how soft she'd gotten. She gave Layla a nod, glancing to the door, indicating she needed to leave. She obliged, meekly stepping out. "If you're here to take me to Nohr, it isn't happening. I'm a bit preoccupied with my own business. Nice job using those two as your unaware guides straight to me. You may have become a spineless coward, but at least you're still a smart one."

"Give me some more credit here, kiddo. What would you have done in my situation? Say no and get yourself killed? Pretend to go along with the plan, run when the time's right, and spend the rest of your likely very short life as one of Nohr's most wanted? Unlike you, I've got plans to settle down someday. Maybe a nice cabin in the woods, with a river view. What's so wrong about that?"

Corrin slammed her hands on the table. "What's wrong is you selling out your goddamn family for it!" She had always considered Shura, Niles, and Rinkah to be family, but this was the first time she had said it out loud. If Shura reacted to that, he didn't let it show. She took a deep breath, lowering her voice. "Shura…did you know?"

"Did I know what?"

"Don't patronize me by playing dumb. That day you found me with no memory, all alone; did you know who I was? Did you know my true identity?"

"…Yeah. Yeah, I had a feeling. I guess 'probable guess' is a better word for it. You appeared right when the princess vanished, you matched her description, and of course, the big one, you had her name. Either you were her or you were her secret amnesiac twin."

"You're cracking jokes? You're telling me that my whole life was because of what you did and you're cracking  _jokes_!? Do you even know the kind of hell you put me through!? The years of stealing, fighting, killing, nearly dying, struggling just to find a loaf of bread, it was all because of you! You could've brought me back home; you could've saved me from that!"

"Yeah. I know. But I don't think the other option would've been any better. King Garon was after you, and when that guy wanted something, he got it. Do you really think that would've been the only time he would try to get to you? Would you rather have put your family at risk, just like your father, just so you could live some pampered dream life?"

"Don't even mention my father! I barely remember anything about him, and he was still ten times the man you'll ever be. He was a warrior, a king, he led people, helped people! And what are you? A sniveling, cowardly, backstabbing bastard!"

"Yeah, I am. But I'm a cowardly bastard for a reason. Do you really think I was keeping you under my wing because I had a feeling you would've been put in danger? No, I did it because I  _knew_ , because I'd gone through the same thing. Do you know what happened to survivors to Kohga like me? They'd make their presence known, they'd try to tell others about what happened, and then they'd disappear. Kotaro made sure each and every survivor he found was killed before they could say anything. I wanted to tell the truth, I wanted to shout what he had done to my nation, my family, my  _home_. But more than that, I wanted to live. So I threw away my old life. I knew that if you wanted to be safe, you'd have to do that same."

"What I went through wasn't safety. It was torture. It was you exploiting me, exploiting my memory loss, denying me the choice I should've had! Who the hell were you to decide what was best for me!?"

"You're right; I wasn't the one who should've decided. But I did, and you lived. No, not just that; you thrived. Look at you now. If anybody else had gone through half of what you have, they would've broken apart. But you just keep getting stronger."

"Do you really think I'm  _stronger_? Shura, I'm…I'm breaking. I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to be this important hero, I don't want to run, I don't want to be responsible for everyone. I just want it all to stop."

"Then why are you here, kid?"

"…Because I'm hoping whatever's on this mountain will give me the reason I need to keep going. Because I need that reason. Because as much as I wanna say 'damn it all' and walk away, I also wanna keep the people I care about safe. And as much of a bastard you are, you're still one of them. So give up. Stop following me. Stop trying to convince me to do something we both know I'll never do. Hell, you could…" Corrin cleared her throat, feeling it start to crack as emotions swelled to a breaking point inside of her. "You could come with me. It'd be like old times."

"Kid…" There was a softness in Shura's face, a sign that he still cared about her too. "Don't make me have to make that choice. Don't make me decide."

"That's exactly what I'm going to do, Uncle Shura. You said you chose this life because you cared about your own safety over the people you care about. So do the same for me, if that's what you care about more. Sell me out to save your own hide."

"I…Corrin, I…" There was sorrow in his eyes. Corrin had never seen that before, never even thought the man could feel something like that. "You win. Damnit, you win. I'll risk my neck and help you out. Besides, who likes being the government's bitch anyways?" He tried to make it look like he was his regular cocky self, but the sorrow in his eyes didn't leave.

The door to the bar opened, and in walked Rhajat, an overwhelmingly satisfied smile on her face. "Your friends were quite the tough cookies, Corrin. But they're off licking their wounds, now. Now it's just the three of us. I'm fairly certain you won't stand much of a chance at all. So why not give in? I'd much rather take you of your own free will. But if force is what you want, who am I to deny you?"

Shura stood up, his presence suddenly looming and threatening. He walked up to Rhajat, staring her down. "Walk away."

"Why should I?" Her eyes flickered between Shura and Corrin. "Ahh, I see now. I thought you were more of a bleeding heart than you let on, but I certainly wasn't expecting this. What a shame, really. Here I thought we were starting to become friends." A massive fist slammed into the front of the bar, tearing a hole and proceeding to rip its way through wood and windows. Patrons and staff ran away, screaming, while Corrin and Shura drew their weapons, charging at Rhajat. She rolled away, her Faceless continuing to tear the bar to pieces, getting closer to them by the second.

Corrin slashed Rhajat's arm, making the girl curse and step back, only for Shura to follow up with a kick to the gut. Corrin used that time to ready another attack, slamming her shoulder into her, pushing her to the ground. With her sword held at Rhajat's throat, she triumphantly smiled. "You're the one controlling them, right? So all I'd have to do is cut your throat for them to vanish."

"Yes, I am. And yes, you would. However, I can't let you kill me, Corrin. Not without killing you too, at least. We must be together, whether in life or in death." Behind Rhajat, a second Faceless slammed through the wall, catching Corrin by surprise and grabbing her before she could kill Rhajat. She kicked and screamed as it lifted her up, holding her hands to her sides, preventing her from using her sword. Shura kept backing away from the other Faceless, throwing whatever he could at it, only making it angrier.

Rhajat gave Shura an annoyed look, as if noticing a cockroach. The Faceless lunged at him, grabbing him and squeezing tight. He screamed, the sound of crunching ribs accompanying it. Corrin found herself screaming too, trying to get free so she could help him. "LET HIM GO!"

Rhajat shook her head. "Now, now, no need to get so upset. Besides, I certainly won't let him go. He's gone against our express orders, and as Queen Camilla commanded, he must die for it. That's just the rules." The monster squeezed again, Shura roaring in agony.

Corrin felt herself on the verge of tears. "Please, please, I'll do whatever you want! I'll go with you, I'll comply, I'll do whatever Queen Camilla says! Just let him go!"

"Kid…" Shura weakly spoke, but Corrin ignored him, continuing to beg. "Kid, please…" She stopped, turning to face him, her breathing shallow as tears began to streak down her face. "Don't throw yourself away for me. You're smarter than that. This is what I get for caring about you." He gave her the most loving smile he could muster. "But that's alright. Corrin, you're someone I'd die for. I don't think I'd be able to say that about anyone else."

"Don't say that, don't say that! Just shut up and let me talk to her, let me convince her to let you go! Don't do this for my sake, don't die because of me! I can't take that; I won't take that!"

Shura gave a brief chuckle. "Can you tell Niles and Rinkah that I…that I always thought of them as if they were my very own? That I always thought of all of you as if you were my own kids. Going through the trouble of raising you all was the best mistake I ever made."

Corrin opened her mouth to scream, but before she could, the Faceless squeezed once more. Shura didn't make any noise. He didn't tense up. He simply went limp, his lifeless body hanging from the creature's hand. The scream became trapped in her throat, refusing to leave, only letting her croak out a grieving sob. It threw him to the ground like a ragdoll, leaving the ruined building along with the other one, still holding her. She didn't struggle, she didn't shout, she didn't say or do anything. She just stayed still, wide eyes staring at the ground, her mind trying to respond but failing every time. Where she was even going, she didn't care anymore. She didn't care about anything anymore.


	43. Here's Hoping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday to Fire Emblem! Here's a chapter to celebrate, as well as a little something special for my AO3 readers. Thanks for being awesome!

Siegbert

There was a ribbon in Siegbert's pocket. He had recognized it as one of Velouria's favorite treasures: velvet in color, torn in various places but still retaining a sense of its former beauty. While he had found it almost tragic, she had seen it as beautiful. She must have slipped it into his pocket before she jumped out of the wagon. Before she fought to buy them time to escape. They had waited at the next town as long as they could, everyone reassuring him that she would come soon, but she never did, and eventually they were forced to get moving again. Forrest had tried to comfort him, but he shoved his cousin away, refusing to fall to false hope. He was sick of having that hope stolen from him. And so he told himself that Velouria, the love of his life, was dead.

Siegbert had expected to be filled with rage, to have a passion for revenge to ignite in his chest and drive him to kill whoever had done it. But that passion never came. All he felt was a hole that seemed to absorb everything around it. Every time he thought of Velouria, every time somebody mentioned her, he just went numb. No memory of her, whether happy or sad, elicited any emotion from him. He knew that was awful, to just feel nothing for the woman he loved more than anything, but it was what he did. He didn't  _want_  to feel nothing, but he did.

The curiosity that accompanied learning that they were about to enter the place they had spent months traveling to felt like a relief for Siegbert, a way to get his mind off of the subject, even if only for a short while. This place being near the Bottomless Canyon, and on the eastern side no less, certainly aroused skepticism amongst the ground, but Laslow and Odin were quick to assure that there was no safer spot on the continent.

To their credit, as they got closer, the harsh environment of the canyon began to shift to a lush, peaceful forest, seemingly untouched by humanity. It was like a preserved bubble of what life was like before humans made their mark on the world. To see a small town within was surprising, considering how undisturbed the forest around it looked. The town itself was actually of quite a decent size considering how far it was from any major countries, though the mountain behind it cast a sense of scale that made it feel tiny in comparison.

As the group entered the town, most wearing thick cloaks to keep their identities hidden, a small boy ran up to them, beaming with enthusiasm. "Mister Laslow! Mister Odin!" He stopped in front of them, looking up at the two retainers, who already looked a bit nervous.

Laslow squatted down so they were at eye level. "Hey there little guy! It's been a while, hasn't it?" The boy nodded, holding his hands together in front of him.

"Uh-huh! Oh man, it's so cool to see you guys again! I gotta tell everyone you're here; miss Selena's gonna be so excited!" Recognition flared through the group all at once, and before anyone could stop him, the boy had already run off.

Leo scowled at Laslow. "You told us that this was the safest place on the continent, did you not? Care to explain how the town housing that turncoat is safe?"

Odin protested, looking somewhat worried. "We don't know if that's really what happened! I mean, Zola was always a liar. Maybe he threw her under the horse to save his own hide. I'm sure we can talk to her if she really is here; we're her best friends!"

Leo was about to argue, but Xander held up a hand to silence him. "I trust their judgment. We'll see just what we're getting ourselves into. But if something goes wrong, don't hesitate to fight back." They headed further into town, cautious of potential attacks and ambushes. However, the place seemed perfectly idyllic, in all honesty.

It wasn't long before someone bumped into Siegbert, who was too distracted looking around for signs of danger to pay attention to what was in front of him. He and the stranger fell down, hard. He looked up at her, seeing a woman a bit older than him with green hair that flowed freely down to her waist. She looked at the ground, grabbing an apple she must've bought at the market. "I am so sorry about that! I've got a bit of a habit of accidentally running into—" She looked up, going silent upon seeing Siegbert's face. She was…familiar, in a way. But he couldn't figure out why.

Siegbert didn't have much of a chance to. She sprung up onto her feet and dashed away, ducking down an alleyway, Siegbert getting up and chasing after her, ignoring Leo's order to wait. He expected it to be a trap, and it turned out that he was right on the money; the girl jumped out at him with a sword in hand, fighting with an oddly Nohrian style. The narrow alley didn't give him much room to evade, so he was forced to block strike after strike, kept on the defensive and not given an opportunity to get in a hit of his own.

This girl was buying time. She must've been with Selena, and that meant she was probably waiting for help to arrive. Siegbert needed to get the upper hand before she would be able to cement her victory. He began to back up out of the alley, taking careful steps to avoid tripping over scattered garbage. The back of his foot hit something large and soft, making him look back in surprise. A discarded bag of flour, still half-full. He quickly looked back, stepping to the side and feeling the woman's blade just barely tear through his sleeve and open a cut on his arm.

Siegbert gritted his teeth, swinging down at the bag of flour and cutting it open, sending flour all into the air. He stepped back into the thick cloud, picking up the bag and flinging the rest at the woman, hitting her right in the eyes. She cried out in pain, covering her eyes and stumbling back. He took advantage, charging into her, tackling her to the ground, and holding his blade to her throat. "Stand down. Now." He wanted to just tear her throat open, to take out even a little bit of his anger, but he relented. He gave her the chance to surrender.

The girl looked at Siegbert, recognizing defeat. "Fine, Siegbert, you win. I give up, okay?" She tossed her blade to the side, looking at him with genuine fear. She knew his name, and that meant he must've known her from somewhere. "I know you don't recognize me, but you know me, okay? It's me, Midori. Just…just don't do anything crazy."

"Midori!?" The green hair and eyes matched, but Midori was a kid, years younger than Siegbert. She wasn't even around his age, let alone visibly older than him. "How the hell can you be Midori?" He kept his blade to her throat, still cautious.

"Look, I can explain later, okay? Just put it down, and we can talk. You're a sensible person, I know that."

"If you knew that, then why did you run away? Why did you try to kill me?"

"Because I don't know if you guys are gonna hurt us or not! Just because you're fugitives doesn't mean you don't have any bones to pick with us!"

"Us?" As if to answer Siegbert's inquiry, footsteps come down ahead of him. He looks up, seeing Selena standing down the alleyway with her sword at the ready.

"You know Midori, you're really not putting my sword training to good use. Remind me again why I'm supposed to waste my time on you?" She took a few steps closer, glaring daggers at Siegbert. "Get the hell off her."

Forrest's voice came from behind Siegbert. "No,  _you_  get away from Siegbert!" The gentle hum of an opened tome could be heard. Selena cursed under her breath, standing her ground.

"Isn't that guy supposed to be a criminal? What're you doing running with him?" Selena was already getting rather confused by everything that was happening. Siegbert couldn't exactly blame her.

"I'm not a criminal! You're the one who defected to Hoshido!"

"Defected? Are you—" Selena paused, groaning in extreme annoyance. "Listen, I didn't defect to shit. I'm not a goddamn Hoshidan lapdog, but I sure as hell wasn't Nohr's little puppy either. Their priorities just so happened to align with mine."

Siegbert stared at her, still ready to kill Midori if she tried anything. "Then what are your priorities?"

Laslow's voice came next, startling everyone in the alleyway. "Getting home." Selena looked shocked, but not in the same way she was upon seeing Siegbert or Forrest. This surprise was one laced with relief. "Severa. Let's all drop our weapons and talk about this, alright? Nobody has to get hurt. I trust you. Can you trust me and Owain?"

"Owain!? He's here too!?" The redhead glanced back down to Siegbert once more before tossing her blade away. "Fine. You'd better have something good to say." Laslow had Forrest close his tome, and eventually, Siegbert got off Midori, letting the woman dust herself off.

After more than a few more confusing conversations, the group managed to all get to one of the houses in the town without anybody trying to stab someone. Selena, Laslow, and Odin sat next to eachother at a table, while everyone else in Siegbert's group was situated on couches, chairs, and in Leo's case, leaning against a wall. Midori, meanwhile, stood behind the trio, looking at everyone with caution. Xander looked at the trio with newfound suspicion. "Alright, talk. Explain exactly what's going on here."

Before the two less brash retainers could speak, Odin butted in. "I'd be glad to explain! You see, we are three children of divine fate! Inheritors of legacies that transcend time! Our pasts are shrouded in shadow, a darkness that can only be revealed by the holy light of—" Selena promptly punched him in the ribs, shutting him up.

"What he  _means_  to say," she began, "is that we've been lying to you guys since the start. Sorry about that." The hollow apology was accompanied by a grin. "Let's start off with reintroducing ourselves. My name's Severa. The annoying flirt to my left is Inigo, and the even more annoying egomaniac to my right is Owain."

Jakob scowled. "Good to know I was correct in being wary of you three."

Severa scowled right back. "Wow, good job, you were suspicious of the three retainers with no clear past and trust issues. What a world-class detective you are. Now, did you also correctly guess that we're from another dimension? No? Thought not."

Sighing, Inigo placed a gentle hand on Severa's shoulder. "We are indeed from another realm. Where we come from, there is no Hoshido or Nohr. Though, our situation is similarly dire. We had gained the blessing of our realm's deity, Naga, to travel back in time to prevent a tragedy from occurring. However, the three of us, as well as our friend Anna, did not arrive in the past. Instead, we ended up here. We left Anna here to keep an eye on this area in case something happened, while the three of us tried to learn as much about this world, and how to get home, as possible. Becoming royal retainers was simply a means to that end."

Leo seemed particularly bothered by that. "So your loyalty was a sham? Pure pretense in order to get something from us?"

Using a sardonic tone, Severa quipped back. "No, we were loyal to you because we wanted to get in your pants. I hope I've still got a chance, your highness."

"Severa!" Inigo looked at her with surprise. "That's enough. No need to get nasty."

"No, Inigo, there's plenty of need to get nasty. We've got no reason to be nice to them anymore, not when we get to home!" A deafening silence followed. "Listen, this guy called Dwyer told me that Luci and the others are doing fine. No, more than that, they're doing great. They're safe. He said that he saw our way back home open back up. We can go back."

This time, Inigo didn't say anything. Owain didn't, either. Midori was the one to interject, crossing her arms. "I think this may be best saved for another conversation. Listen, if you all really do mean well, then I think the others won't be too bothered by your being here. I'll fill them in. For now, just stay here, okay?" She didn't wait for an answer, leaving the house, looking rather troubled.

Severa sighed. "She's been through a lot lately. I'm gonna make sure she's alright. Just don't cause any commotion, okay?" And with that, she was gone too. Siegbert, not wanting to get involved in any more discussion for the time being, quickly left the room and wandered through the house. He found a humble bedroom with an old wooden vanity and inspected his appearance in the mirror.

Had he always looked this tired, this exhausted? Dark shadows under his eyes clashed against increasingly pale skin, sunburnt in small splotches here and there. His clothes were filthy, his eyes were bloodshot, and the blonde color of his hair was starting to fade in certain strands. It was funny in a nihilistic way that one of his biggest concerns was making sure he could find dye to keep his hair blonde. He wasn't much of a fan of its natural color, considering its implications.

Velouria really was gone, wasn't she? She wasn't going to come back safe and sound, she wasn't going to burst into the house and announce her presence. She was dead. She was dead, and Siegbert was all alone. He had friends, allies, even family, but they weren't her. He still had to protect his father, but what was he to do after that? What was there for him if not the love of his life?

Siegbert's hands were trembling again. He clutched them, trying to make it stop, only for it to grow more violent. "Damnit…" Even though he was alone, the tears beginning to stream down his face made him feel like a fool. He was losing everything. Velouria was gone, snatched from him in an instant. Father, even knowing their relationship, treated him like a stranger. Maybe it was even because of the revelation that Xander was pushing him away. And mother…oh gods, mother.

He had never gotten to know his mother; she had died giving birth to him, the only mark left on him by her being his hair color. Father would tell him stories of her eccentric personality, how they met, grew closer, fell in love. How the two of them completed eachother. Siegbert felt the same for Velouria. Though, he supposed it was better for Velouria to die than suffer the fate his mother had.

Running his hands through his hair, Siegbert found a small group of strands that had lost their blonde color altogether, showing their true soft blue. Mother was out there, looking for them, hunting them. She was no longer herself. She was enduring constant agony, every blow hurting just as much as it would for any other person, but nothing being able to grant her the peace of death. There was no saving her now, not like father. But he was still her son, and he still owed her help.

So Siegbert would kill Peri. He would put her out of her misery. That was how he would make things right for her.

Nina

Nina's body was sitting on the roof of a house, her legs dangling over the edge. But Nina wasn't the one sitting. Vara was. She was taking a large bite out of an apple, watching the sun set into the mountain range ahead.  **"You've been pretty quiet lately. Something wrong?"**  Nina said nothing.  **"If this is about your friend, don't blame me. She's the one who jumped out the back of a wagon in a suicide rush."**

_She wasn't my friend._

**"Then why are you so angry?"**

_Because she didn't deserve to die._

**"Again, suicide rush. She threw her life away."**

_Like you're an expert on actually being alive. You're a weapon with an ego._

**"Your ego, not mine. And I'll have you know that I actually know a lot about the value of life. Not having any of your five senses for thousands of years and then getting them teaches you how to value being alive a lot more than the average person."**

_Which is why you stole my body and forced me to live like you did. Yeah, you really value life._

**"My life. Not yours. You're the one who fell for my lies. If you're too dumb to keep yourself alive, you deserve whatever you get. Simple as that."**

_Then why didn't you kill Nyx when you had the chance?_  Silence followed that. Nina got a sick sense of satisfaction in knowing that she had stumped Vara, even if just for a moment.

**"She was dying anyways. No point in wasting my time finishing the job."**

_You and I both know that she was smart enough to save herself if given the chance. She's probably still alive right now. Besides, you didn't do the same for Velouria, even though she would've died on her own._

**"What do you want me to say? Would you rather I go track Nyx down and finish the job?"**

_I'd rather you not lie to me. You've done enough of that already. Not like I have anyone to spill your secrets to._

**"But if I only told you the truth, then I wouldn't be able to make you angry by hiding things. That little pout you make whenever you don't get your way is just the most precious thing in the world."**

_Fine then. At least tell me why you even care about what Camilla wants. You like to stick out for number one, right? So why the hell are you following her?_

**"It's not like I want to, you know. The guy who made us decided that we should get stuck with the urge to bring Yato back. Camilla's doing that, so I'm naturally gonna help her out. The second that's over, I'm gonna do whatever I goddamn want. That's just another incentive for me to get the job done."**

_I didn't think you were the type of person to give up instead of fighting against someone making you do things. Wow, you are way more of a pussy than I thought._  Vara growled in anger, and Nina once again grinned triumphantly. The two of them then noticed a bunch of boys on the ground below, surrounding another one and beginning to punch and kick him. He was trying his best to fight back, but the other children quickly overpowered him, beating on him for a good few minutes. Vara just watched, remaining silent.

Once the children had eventually dispersed, the boy was left curled up on the ground, covered in cuts and bruises. Surprisingly, he didn't just lay there and wallow in his own misery; instead, he picked himself back up, sniffling as he tried to brush as much dust off his ragged clothes as he could, rubbing his bruises and wincing. He must've been used to this kind of treatment.

Vara fished through her pockets, pulling out a small sack of coins. "Hey, kid!" She tossed the bag down at him. He caught it with shaky hands, looking up at her with confusion. "Go pay someone to patch you up. Maybe buy some nicer clothes, while you're at it." The boy didn't stop to question the gift, nodding gratefully and running off.  _I didn't take you for a philanthropist._

**"That kid just got beaten to hell and back, and he's already back up. He isn't even crying anymore. That's the kind of kid who cares about his life. I like people like that."**

_You're such a damned hypocrite._  Vara laughed at that, and Nina found herself now being the one going on the defensive in the conversation. Of course, no matter what she said, it wouldn't change the simple fact that she wasn't in charge anymore. A situation like that would make anyone hopeless. She wasn't even sure how much longer she would be able to hold on to the little hope she had left.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Vara let out a hearty laugh, scaring Nina.  **"Oh my, well isn't that interesting? I just got some news from Bölverk. Apparently, I've got a new assignment! Guess Peri'll have to go after the others on her own. Here's hoping she doesn't kill all of them; we might need a few."**

_New assignment? Where are we going now?_

**"We're going to find some very, very important people. Lucky for us, they're not hiding in a hellhole either. I've heard Notre Sagesse is lovely this time of year. Have you ever been?"**

Soleil

If Soleil was being honest with herself, she still had no idea of what to make of her current situation. She was interacting with the family she never had; her mother, her brother. But her father was out there, being hunted like a dog. He didn't deserve that. None of them did. If they could just see that Camilla was doing the right thing, they could join her, and they wouldn't have to fight anymore. The whole reason Soleil was here was so that nobody would fight anymore.

Nobody would end up like Caeldori anymore. Nobody would lose their mother, be forced to live between two worlds, serve as a spy, and lie and cheat and steal for the sake of their own country. And nobody would end up like Soleil, having to kill the woman she loved. Did she have to kill her, though? Could Caeldori really have been telling the truth when she said she loved her?

There was no point in pondering on that anymore. All it would do it stir up guilt and remorse that Soleil was already experiencing in spades. Maybe it was selfish to push away her problems like this instead of facing them head-on, but as she learned after Caeldori, she wasn't the kind of person who could face her problems.

Who was she even kidding? When she first became a royal guard, she dreamed of being a patriot, serving and protecting the crown, being a true hero. But the second real adversity came her way, she ran away to the past. The second she faced adversity again, she almost ran away from everyone she cared about just to escape it. She was locked in a dungeon and couldn't get herself out. She was always crying and moping and throwing herself pity parties.

Soleil wasn't determined like Siegbert, or cunning like Velouria, or smart like Jakob, or daring like Odin, or confident like Selena, or focused like Beruka, or reliable like Effie, or heroic like Arthur. She was no one. A coward.

So why did she find herself sitting in front of a piano in one of Krakenburg's empty rooms, about to play that song Caeldori had taught her? Why was she about to reopen those agonizing wounds? She hadn't played it in months; no doubt her botched playing would only make her feel even worse. No, this was stupid. A terrible idea.

Soleil began to get off the piano bench, only to see Elise standing in the doorway, Brynhildr clutched against her chest. "O-oh, I didn't mean to interrupt your piano playing…"

"Elise! I, uh…I wasn't actually going to play…"

"Oh…" Elise looked crestfallen. "I just thought that I could listen in, but if you weren't going to…that's alright." Seeing her aunt, now just a young, scared girl, so sorrowful made Soleil's heart pang.

"Well, I don't actually know how to play. I just know one song that a friend taught me. B-but it's really rough, and I never learned the full version, just an easier, shorter one, so you're really not missing out on much!" Soleil's attempts to downplay it seemed to have the opposite effect, making Elise's eyes shimmer with a hint of excitement.

"Really? Can you play it for me! I-I mean, I don't want to force you, if you don't want to. I just…I haven't heard music in a while. Not since I watched Leo play—" She stopped, pained by just bringing up her brother.

"Oh, Elise…it's alright, you don't need to worry about any of that."

"He…he said he was going to stay with me. Leo promised me that he'd stay here and keep me company. He said he'd never leave. But he left. He killed father, and he and Xander left me." The poor girl was already at the brink of tears. Soleil didn't have much of a choice anymore, did she?

She turned back to the piano and played a few notes, hearing Elise's sniffling stop. "It's, uh…" She cleared her throat. "Like I said, it's really rough. But I guess I could play it if it made you happy." She tried to calm her pounding heart, taking a few deep breaths before beginning to play.

Her fingers somewhat awkwardly drifted along the keys as she tried to keep tempo, playing the simplified version she had been taught. Elise sat quietly and listened, enraptured despite how amateur Soleil's skills clearly were. Though, the fact that she could play this at all was quite the feat, considering how awful she was at just about anything musical. She played instruments like she had two left hands and danced like she had two left feet. So in a way, this was rather nice for her.

Soleil found herself closing her eyes, just letting her hands move on their own, filling in whatever emotion she felt but couldn't think of how to properly express. When the song was over, she let out a deep sigh, before Elise politely clapped, telling her how good it was. Soleil thanked her for the compliment, but she was more focused on how she wasn't feeling the guilt she always did whenever she played that song. Instead, she felt…relieved? What had changed? What was giving her this sense of happiness?

When Soleil was thinking of Caeldori, she wasn't thinking of what she did to her. She was thinking of their practice sessions, their conversations at that café they would always eat at. She was thinking of the first time they met, and how Caeldori played that song more brilliantly than she could ever hope. What emotions was she trying to express? Perhaps they were the same Soleil was. Sorrow, guilt that she had to choose between the things she cared about. An immense longing for a happy, peaceful life. And maybe, just maybe, Caeldori, just like Soleil, played that song because she wanted nothing more than to tell people these things when she knew that words would never suffice.

At Elise's request, Soleil played the song once more, finding it sounded somewhat happier this time. Indeed, she no longer felt her heart trying to burst out of her chest, nor did she feel uncomfortable in her own skin. She just played that unnamed song, hoping that perhaps somewhere, Caeldori was listening with a smile on her face.


	44. Never Forget

Nyx

Vara's maniacal laughter still sent chills down Nyx's spine, even after all these years. Something about it just felt wrong, like it shouldn't be coming from a human being. Of course, it wasn't; it was only coming from a puppet. "Come on, is that really all you've got? Give me a little more fight, Stella!"

"Don't call me that!" Nyx sent another blast of twisted, mangled branches at Vara, who deftly dodged them, sending more flaming arrows her way. The fight between the two of them had torn the throne room to shreds, the walls and floor charred and cracked from fire and branches. Camilla had ushered her allies out, leaving Vara to take Nyx down. Loathed as Nyx was to admit it, the coward's plan was working. She was being worn down slowly and steadily, every graze draining a bit more blood from her body. It was so painfully easy for her to forget just how frail she could be.

Unfortunately, the reminder was more painful still. Vara had fired an arrow, forcing Nyx to send a wall of branches up in front of her to block the attacks. However, it had been a feint; as soon as the wall was up, Vara was climbing and vaulting over, tackling into Nyx and sending the both of them outside a hole in the wall, spiraling down through the air. How high up were they? She tried to count the seconds, but the arrow stabbing through her shoulder, yanked out and jammed in her hip served as a rather nasty distraction.

She didn't even feel the impact. She just blinked, and suddenly she was in the sewer canal of Windmire's underground, her blood mixing in with the water around her. Vara was nowhere to be found. She must've blacked out at some point, but how would she have ended up here, of all places? Not only that, but to still be alive? She tried to lift her head up but found herself too weak to do so. It seemed that her still being alive didn't matter much, seeing as she was almost certainly going to bleed out soon.

Unconsciousness brought memories that Nyx wished she could forget; running into her father's arms, calling out his name as he rubbed her head and called her cupcake. Saria telling her that everything was going to be alright. Screaming in despair as the consequences of her mistake surrounded her. Running away from her past, trying to bury it, even succeeding for a while. But the past could never stay behind her forever.

A woman named Cassita had taken her in and treated her wounds. Nyx had asked why, but Cassita's reason was simply that she wasn't the kind of person to let someone die when she could help. Of course, conventional medicine could only do so much for the numerous cuts and burns, leaving quite a few nasty scars. Still, it wasn't as if she didn't already have her fair share. She was bedridden for months, only able to move around for a few minutes before coughing up blood. The worst part was that she couldn't even rank it on the top ten most miserable things she had ever gone through.

Once she was able to move around, she almost immediately got to figuring out what had happened while she had been recovering. Camilla's coup was successful, and she now was in control of Nohr. What was impressive was not that the nobility believed her story of Xander and Leo murdering their father; it was that the common people believed it. Nohr was a country that thrived off the peasants it exploited, using them to produce weapons and armor without rest, equipping them to serve as meat shields to protect more important soldiers in battle. That had begun to eat away at the country, with more and more rebellions and revolts occurring in isolated pockets. It was only a matter of time until collapse occurred. But Camilla's rise to power changed that. She wasn't just someone with a mind for war; she was charismatic. She won the hearts of whoever she needed to. She had sent the Nohrian war machine into a resurgence, and that allowed them to begin making an edge on Hoshido, despite the unfamiliar terrain and superior defensive tactics of the latter.

After the healing had reached a point where Nyx could properly fend for herself, she ceased what she saw as burdening Cassita with her presence. Before she could flee Windmire, however, there was one last thing she needed to do. There was no telling who could have been captured by Camilla, and Nyx couldn't afford for them to stay that way. Corrin would need all the help she could get.

As it turned out, using the same disguise of an apprentice mage still worked like a charm for getting into Krakenburg. All she needed to give were a few cute looks, a "excuse me, mister" here and a "pardon me, ma'am" there, and of course, the occasional strangely morbid comment to sell the dark mage image. She had to admit; she had grown quite fond of the apprentice clothing. The heavy cloak allowed her to hide all sorts of things, and the wide-brimmed hat with its pointed top was rather charming. Perhaps she'd keep it as a more permanent outfit.

Soon enough, she was in the dungeons with a handy list of prisoners, courtesy of a guard that she had knocked out with a handy nosferatu spell. She made sure to only suck enough life out of him to keep him unconscious for a day or two. She made sure to check for inconsistencies in the record; any especially valuable members of Corrin's group were sure to have been kept off the books.

It didn't take long to find Kana. In fact, it was almost pathetic. Camilla was certainly just as arrogant as her father, considering how easy it was to find him after Nyx had gotten into the castle. However, she wasn't a softie. Kana looked like he had been put through hell, a good amount of the blood on him still fresh. His left eye was black and blue, swollen to the point where it was doubtful that he could even see with it. His breathing was slow and ragged, though the fact that he was even conscious at all was quite the feat.

"Y-you're…" Kana coughed, weakly tugging on the chains around his wrists. "You're with Corrin…is she here?" Of course he would immediately ask about his mother. Nyx sighed, walking over to him and using a quick fimbuvletr spell to freeze the chains, giving them a good whack with a nearby iron rod. She tried to ignore the blood stains on the rod, though Kana winced at the sight of it coming down, giving her good reason to believe the blood was his.

"No, Corrin isn't here. Now come on; the longer we stay here, the more likely it is that we'll be caught." After making sure that Kana could still walk without assistance, Nyx headed out of the cell, keeping her eyes out for any potential signs of danger. With her wounds still healing, she knew she wouldn't be able to engage in any real fights. Kana was in no shape to fight, either. That meant that any trouble would spell disaster for them.

Of course, trouble arrived, and it arrived in the form of Princess Elise. Her wandering gaze had locked on to them before they could hide, and for a moment, nobody dared move a muscle. Nyx tried to defuse the situation. "Don't do anything brash." When she noticed the Divine Weapon in Elise's hand, every alarm bell went off in her head at once. "Princess Elise, I swear to you that we mean no harm to anyone in this castle." Perhaps a bit of a lie, considering that she did use that nosferatu spell, but it was close enough to the truth.

Elise looked like she wanted to run, but a newfound determination kept her in place. "I could call for the guards. If you move, I will." Her warning was accompanied by her opening Brynhildr.

"But you haven't, and that tells me that you aren't wanting to fight." Convincing Elise in the moment was impossible, but if Nyx could just say something to get her to lose focus, buying them enough time to escape, then that would be enough. "Your sister is keeping things from you." If she told Elise the truth outright, the princess certainly wouldn't believe her, so she kept things vague. "Her reason for giving you Brynhildr, for example. Her plans are far beyond what you think they are, and they will get people hurt. Maybe even you."

"I'm not gonna fall for your lies." The soft glow of the tome began to grow brighter. "Stay right there." Fine then. If doubt wasn't going to distract Elise, then shock would.

"Your brothers did not murder your father. Camilla did." Nyx's words snapped Elise's concentration, giving her just enough time to cast a fimbuvletr spell, freezing her legs and feet to the floor. By the time she and Kana were running away, they could hear Elise screaming for the guards.

Getting out was much more of a hassle than getting in. Now they were sneaking past guards that knew to look for them and going through a castle that was on high alert. A new escape plan had to be devised on the fly, having them escape through an aqueduct that led straight to the underground. From there, they made their way back to the surface and out of Windmire. Nyx was glad that the surface of the city was so poorly guarded. After all, it was natural to assume that anybody who meant to cause harm would go after Krakenburg, not the city itself.

They didn't stop moving until the lights of Krakenburg were a blip in the distance. Kana was still conscious, which was better than Nyx had expected. She was ready to have to drag him if she had to. They stopped less because they were far enough away and more because her healing wounds were starting to hurt again. Once they had set up a small campfire, she grabbed some cured meat, handing it to Kana. "Here, eat. You need to regain your strength." He took it slowly, nibbling on the edges.

"Who are you?" Kana asked. Nyx knew that he wasn't asking her about something like her name.

"I'm nobody,' Nyx answered, staring at the crackling fire in front of her. "nobody at all." Kana didn't ask anything else. It seemed he had taken the hint that she didn't want to talk about it. "Now eat, and rest up. We're going to find Corrin." Their goals were aligned. That meant that, at least for the time being, she knew she could trust him.

Rhajat

The daughter of the Wind Tribe chieftain was supposed to be brave. Rhajat knew that. That was why she ventured out into the woods all alone, despite only being a small child. Of course, that bravery vanished the moment a stranger called out to her, asking why she was all alone. Her instinct was to run, weaving through the trees in an attempt to get away, her mind having already jumped to the conclusion that this person was here to hurt her.

Her attention was drawn away from where she was headed and toward who that person could be. That turned out to be a mistake, as her foot stepped into nothing but solid air. She had stepped over a rock face and found herself leaning forward, about to fall down into the rocky ravine below.

A hand grabbed her by the back of her collar, stopping her from falling and leaving her suspended in the air. She was hoisted up, sniffling in fear, realizing she was mere moments away from having almost certainly died. "Geez, kid. All I asked was if you were okay." She looked up at the stranger, and the stranger looked back, her crimson red eyes softer than they first seemed. "You alright? Any cuts?" She shook her head. "Good. Now come on, let's get you back to your folks. Mind pointing me to where you live?"

On the way back, Rhajat and the woman talked. She learned that the woman was none other than Princess Corrin, the infamous heir to the Hoshidan throne who spent her days journeying across the land, fighting Nohr's army and saving people. Apparently, she was supposed to meet up with some friends and was passing through Wind Tribe territory to meet them.

Corrin got as far as the edge of town, telling Rhajat that she'd rather not stir up trouble. The little girl wasn't sure why that would happen, but she told Corrin that she wouldn't say anything about her. Corrin thanked her for that. That was the last time Rhajat would see her for years, but she never forgot about the woman who saved her life.

Rhajat became fascinated by Princess Corrin's story, reading whatever accounts she could about her, asking her father if he had ever met her, and even imagining her own stories about the princess. A hero through and through, a kind soul, a defender of the weak. Most important was that she was strong. And Rhajat was not. After all, she had only nearly died because she got so scared of Corrin.

There was a cave near the town, one that absolutely nobody was allowed to enter. Her father had told her that malevolent spirits resided within, ones that could not leave, but would prey upon anybody who dared enter. There were even guards stationed outside the cave mouth. It was a good thing that she was so small, otherwise they may have seen her slip in behind them. If Rhajat was to become brave and strong, she knew that she'd need to overcome a challenge as scary as this one.

Rhajat woke up with her father's relieved face above her. Her head was pounding, her bones ached, and she couldn't remember a single moment of what had happened in that cave. According to her father, her screams were heard from within, and he found her inside, spasming on the floor before eventually passing out. He hugged her tight, having been genuinely afraid that he was going to lose her.

Nobody spoke about the most obvious implication. She had been attacked by the spirits, and they had left her alive. Not just that, but they let her and her father escape. Spirits were supposed to be fickle things, but she still found that bizarre. A few months later, she found out why.

A band of especially crafty brigands had managed to invade the town, ravaging it in an attempt to steal everything valuable and burn it to the ground. Her father had her hide in their house, but she was eventually discovered by a brigand. He reached out to her, she screamed, and suddenly the wall next to them burst apart, a gigantic hand reaching in, grabbing the man, and crushing him to death. It was a Faceless. She screamed at it too, but it did nothing but stare at her, completely silent, the body of the brigand next to it.

Eventually the monster was killed by Wind Tribe soldiers, and the brigands were successfully defeated. But that moment stuck in Rhajat's mind. Why had that Faceless only killed the man attacking her, and not her? The answer came to her not long after, when a wolf tried to attack her while she was alone in the woods. Another Faceless appeared, knocking the wolf away to protect her. That was when she realized that  _she_  was the one making them appear.

From there, she began to test just how far her ability could reach. She could command them without speaking a word, summon plenty at once, and even make them fade away to dust at a whim. She kept practicing and honing her power, learning the ins and outs of its use, realizing just how strong it truly made her. She had become strong, just like she had wanted to.

A few years later, the town was attacked by another group of brigands that posed a real threat. Rhajat took it as an opportunity to finally prove herself, and instead of hiding, ran right at the invading force, using her power to decimate them. They had no idea what was happening until it was too late to get away. Faceless swarmed them from all sides, crushing them and ripping them apart. She watched intently, making sure that no brigands could get away.

When the fight was over, not a single brigand was left standing. Rhajat looked at the townspeople, expecting to see them praising her for saving the town. Instead, they were terrified. Even her father looked at her as if she was going to hurt him. She tried to explain herself, to show them that she was in control and that the Faceless weren't going to hurt them. But as soon as someone connected the dots and realized that the source of her power was that cave, any trust in her was dissolved.

Some people proposed hiding her away and trying to fix her. Others thought exile was the best option. Most terrifyingly of all, some even though that she would need to die, regardless of her status as the chieftain's daughter. She was desperate to convince them, but they weren't listening to her anymore.

The breaking point was when an arrow found its way into her shoulder. She laid there on the ground, whimpering and writhing, trying to get it out and only feeling pain further shoot through her body. A Faceless formed next to her, inducing screams from the crowd of people. She didn't know who had shot her, but she was going to kill them. As the monster tore through the crowd, knocking people out of the way like dolls, she was picked up by another Faceless that carried her away. She had stopped crying by that point and instead watched with a blank expression as more and more of them attacked the people, destroying houses and slaughtering anyone who stood in their way. That was the day the Wind Tribe's capital fell. And nobody but she knew why. There were no survivors to tell the tale.

For a while, Rhajat traveled on her own. She wasn't afraid to use her power to get what she wanted, and she wasn't afraid of the target that put on her. Anybody who tried to hurt her was smashed to a pulp by her Faceless. She had one goal throughout these travels, and although it took almost half a decade, she finally achieved what she had sought to do.

She stood in front of a small cabin in the woods. There was a river not far away, perfectly visible from the windows of the cabin. The smell of apple pie drifted from the windows. And after she knocked on the door, a woman emerged, older but still familiar. She had a dagger in hand, but upon seeing what looked to her like a normal young woman, she relaxed her grip on the blade. "Who are you? Why are you here?"

"Princess Corrin…it really is you." Realizing that likely sounded far more threatening than she intended, Rhajat cleared her throat. "I, um…you probably don't remember me." She had been so emotionally cold for years now, but suddenly she was  _bashful_. It was a feeling she was used to not having, and that made it hard to work with. "You saved my life, once. I've been looking for you, because…because I never got to properly thank you. Is it alright if I come in?"

For a moment, Rhajat was worried she would be turned away, but Corrin actually invited her in. She was offered a slice of apple pie, which she happily accepted. Corrin admitting that she couldn't remember her did sting, but she was still happy that she could see her hero once again. The woman had been missing for years, after all, seemingly having dropped off the face of the earth. Here, she seemed different. Still the same woman, with her playful wit and brash demeanor, but she was more tired. Her voice had become softer. She paused more, taking time to decide what to say. She sighed and heaved every time she had to get up from her chair or lift up something heavy. She wasn't even that old yet.

Eventually, the conversation found its way to that essential question: why did she disappear? "Why? I got tired of fighting. Couldn't do it anymore. Too risky." Rhajat couldn't quite believe she had just heard that.

"Too risky? But you're the bravest person alive! You've never been afraid of blazing your own trail." Corrin seemed to find that funny, chuckling.

"I've always been afraid of things. I just used to be a lot better at hiding that. Besides, the risk isn't mine. Other people were gonna get caught in the crossfire. People who couldn't protect themselves like I could. I knew that the only way to keep them safe was to get as far away from them as possible."

"But…I don't understand. What happened? What changed?"

"I got old." Corrin set a hand on her stomach. "I had kids. Twins, actually. Not identical, though. Would've been neat, but you can't have everything in life. Toddlers can't exactly win a fight, so I knew that I couldn't risk them getting involved with me. It broke my heart to leave them behind. But, they're with their father. Or at least, I hope they still are. Hopefully they don't know a damned thing about me, and hopefully it stays that way." Rhajat felt shameful jealousy. Here Corrin was, willing to leave her children forever to keep them safe. And her father looked at her like she was a monster.

"Where are the others, then? The other people in your group?"

"No idea. We disbanded, went our separate ways. They could be living it up, or they could be six feet under. I cut just about every tie I had. The fact you even found me is pretty damn amazing, really." The compliment made Rhajat blush furiously, something that Corrin found hilarious.

Corrin extended an offer to stay a while, and Rhajat gladly accepted. Spending so much time with the woman she admired was a dream come true, and she made sure to never use her power while there. She didn't need it, after all. She helped Corrin with the small crop field she was maintaining, fed the pigs, collected water from the river, and cleaned a few dishes, too. It was nice.

One day, Rhajat stumbled upon a sealed envelope inside an unremarkable cabinet. Upon inquiring about it, Corrin shrugged it off, saying it was nothing important, but telling her to leave it sealed regardless. Another day, Corrin went to the nearby town, saying she needed to buy some medicinal supplies for her pigs. When Corrin came back, she looked shaken. Rhajat tried to console her, but she wouldn't say what was wrong.

The next day, Corrin sat Rhajat down and explained what had happened. She had gotten wind of someone who was looking for her, someone who killed anybody that got in her way, somebody who could summon Faceless on a whim. A girl who matched Rhajat's exact description. Corrin wanted her out. Rhajat tried to explain herself, but the woman wasn't having it, demanding that she leave.

It wasn't Rhajat's fault. Her emotions just…bubbled up. A Faceless crashed through the wall, one that she didn't mean to summon. Corrin grabbed a kitchen knife and ran for Rhajat, using decades of experience to try and take her down. Instead, she was grabbed by the Faceless, and before Rhajat could even think about what she was doing, it squeezed its hand and snapped Corrin in half.

It wasn't her fault, it wasn't her fault. She didn't mean to. Corrin would understand that, right? She'd understand, she'd see that it was all just a mistake. But she couldn't understand, because she was dead. She was dead because of Rhajat. After hours of tears and screaming, Rhajat left the cabin without a word to the deceased hero who laid on her kitchen floor, eyes wide in shock. The only thing Rhajat did before leaving was grab the envelope from the cabinet. As she headed down to the village, she opened up the note, reading through it carefully.

_Hey, kiddos._

_So, this is probably gonna be weird for you. "My mom is finally talking to me for the first time in my life, and she's doing it through a letter? What a heartless monster!" Well, you deserve to feel that way about me. I know it's probably been tough, not knowing a thing about me. Unless you do know, in which case it's definitely been tough. I just wanna tell you that I didn't leave because of anything you did. I left to protect you._

_Truth is, a lot of people want me dead. A lot. And I knew they'd go after you two to get to me. I couldn't risk you two. Just the thought of it was too much for me. So I gave you two up. I put you with people I trust, and I vanished. You can be mad at me. You probably should, honestly. Just…I just want you to know that I did it because I love you. And I'm a really selfish person, so that's saying a lot._

_You two probably are having a hard time adjusting to each other, too. I told your father to keep you two together if possible, but if he felt like it was too dangerous, that one of you needed to go live somewhere else. So maybe you two barely know eachother. Maybe you're having a happy reunion. Maybe you're complete strangers. No matter what, you're still siblings. I'm not sure if all that crap about twin bonds is real, but hey, that's for you two to find out, right?_

_Keep eachother safe. Protect eachother. Because if you have this, it means I'm dead, and that might mean you're in danger too. Don't cry over me. Stay strong, and never give up. The world sucks, and it's gonna throw you more sucker punches than you can count, but if you can get back up and kick the world in the shins, then you'll be the winner. And I'll know that my kids turned out just as spectacular as I had hoped._

_Kana, Midori, I love you more than anything. Never forget that._

_-Mom_

Corrin

What was Corrin even supposed to say to Rhajat's story? Was she supposed to apologize for hating her? Was she supposed to understand why she murdered Shura? She felt bad for the girl, sure, but that didn't mean she still didn't want to kill her. The problem was that her hands and legs were bound, and her stuff was in a pile off to the side, leaning against the cave wall. Rhajat had hidden her in here until she could figure out a way off the island. Corrin was pretty sure she didn't even know where they were going to go. All she knew was that Rhajat had decided to break her deal with Camilla and just take Corrin for herself.

Corrin wanted nothing more than to just stop worrying and let whatever would happen to her occur, but she also didn't want to fall into the hands of this psychopath. She had been wracking her brain, trying to think of a way to get out of her bindings. The problem was that Rhajat was never too far away, and that made most methods of escape possible. She only had one solid idea, and it was still risky as hell. It came from a memory of something Mozu had said to her a while ago.

_"Oh, I was captured, and it was just awful! I thought for sure that I was done for, but then we managed to formulate an escape plan. I had to pop one of my wrists out of place, but Niles was nice enough to get it back in the right position. Even if it hurt like nothing else…"_

The process of mentally bracing herself for the pain was what took the most amount of time, with trying to remember how to get her wrist back in place taking almost as long. But finally, she was as ready as she'd ever be. She clenched her teeth, closed her eyes, and jerked her hand in just the right way, as hard as she could. Heavy breathing was all she could get out, and it wasn't near enough to express the pain she was feeling. She slipped her hand out of her bindings and freed her other hand, using it to pop her wrist back into place, which only amplified the pain. She kept her hands behind her back in case Rhajat looked over, wanting to look like she was still bound.

Slowly but surely, Corrin scooted over to her possessions, keeping her legs bound until the last moment to look helpless. Right as she was about to grab her sword, a startled look from Rhajat told her that she had been found out. She grabbed the blade and slashed the rope around her ankles, getting up on her feet, grabbing her pack, and charging at her. Her body still ached all over from the injuries she had gotten during their last fight, but she didn't let that stop her.

A Faceless formed between the two of them, but Corrin just ducked under its legs and kept running straight for Rhajat. The girl's terror was more evident the closer Corrin got to her, especially visible when she pinned her down and held her blade to her throat. The Faceless behind her wasn't attacking, and neither was she. Everything just stood still, the only movement being their heavy breathing.

Rhajat was the first to speak. "Do it. Please. I deserve this. If anyone should kill me, it needs to be you. This is vengeance for what I did to you. I killed you."

"This isn't for me, you bitch!" Corrin screamed. "This is for Shura. You murdered him, you goddamn psycho! Why—" She stopped, choking up on her own words. "Why did you do it? Why would you do it!?" Rhajat didn't say anything, just staring up at her with a broken expression. This girl had gone through hell her whole life, lost everything she cared about. She was pitiful, really. Corrin wanted nothing more than to slice her throat open. But something stopped her.

_"Listen to me, Corrin. If I ever encountered that man again, I would kill him. Not because it would stop my pain, but because I wouldn't be able to stop myself. I'd lose my focus, my clarity. Just know that…the most straightforward answer, the answer that seems like it should be the best way, may not necessarily be the right one."_

Damnit, Shura. Rhajat didn't deserve to live, not after everything she did. But…but Corrin knew killing her wouldn't accomplish anything. It wouldn't bring him back, it wouldn't make her feel any better. All it would do is end Rhajat's suffering. And Corrin wanted her to suffer. She slowly raised the blade away, staring her in the eyes. "Don't follow me ever again. Don't come near anyone I care about ever again." She didn't make any threats as to what she would do if Rhajat didn't do what she said. Instead, she plunged her blade down into her leg, getting her to scream in pain and, most importantly, incapacitate her. Then, she got up and headed for the exit of the cave.

Rhajat called out after her, desperate. "Corrin, wait! Please! Come back, please just come back! Don't leave me alone again!" Corrin didn't say anything. "Just tell me what I need to do to make you understand! Tell me what I'm supposed to do! TELL ME!" Corrin stopped, facing straight ahead.

"It's not my job to tell you what to do. It never has been." Corrin continued on, ignoring the screams of protest coming from Rhajat. No Faceless ever came after her. Did Rhajat decide to let her go, or was she just too wracked by pain to muster the effort to send them after her? The result was the same, so she supposed the reason didn't matter.

For a while, Corrin trudged through the thick forest, unsure of where she still was. She was definitely on the mountain, judging by the rocky terrain, but everything else was a mystery to her. It was only in the relative silence of nature that she realized just how much her body hurt. There was a massive gash on her leg, black and blue bruises all over her, and her hand still felt like it was burning up. She needed to treat her wounds. She needed to find a town, or village, or another person, or something.

It became harder to concentrate as time went on. More attention was diverted to the pain, and less to where Corrin was even going. Eventually, the ground gave out under her, and she found herself spiraling down a slope of rough rocks and brambles. Every blow to her body hurt a little less than the previous one, but when she finally landed, every single injury exploded with agony all at once. She couldn't even summon the strength to cry.

Someone was coming. At first, they were just a blur. Corrin even worried that it was Rhajat, come to take her away again. But as they got closer, features became more defined. A woman with blue hair and yellow eyes, an expression of concern on her face. "Azura…?" No, no, it wasn't her. Her hair was a darker blue, ending in a vibrant red at the edge of her side ponytail. She wore what looked like the clothing of a servant, and most distinctly, there was a red jewel in her forehead.

"Oh, dear," was all Corrin heard the woman say before she blacked out. When she woke up, she wasn't in the forest, or a cave, but instead in a bedroom, with wooden walls and a glass window, covered partially by soft curtains. She tried to sit up, and to her surprise there was no accompanying pain. She had been dressed in plain white clothing, the pants and shirt fitting her a little loosely but otherwise being comfortable enough. Her immediate assumption was that she was somewhere dangerous.

By the time she was standing up, the door to her room opened, and that same woman stepped inside, giving a quick nod of her head. "Greetings. I am pleased to see that you are awake."

"Yeah…" Corrin muttered, inspecting herself to find no trace of any kind of injury. "Now where the hell am I? And who the hell are you?" The girl seemed unfazed by Corrin's suspicion, only giving a polite smile.

"My name is Lilith. If you'd like to follow me, I can introduce you to someone who will answer any questions you have much better than I can. He's been looking forward to speaking to you." Corrin warily followed her out of the room, ready to fight or run if need be. The house she was in was remarkably large, mostly filled with strange artifacts an oddities. Some looked as if they were a few dozen years old, like a torn Nohrian flag. Others, like a bowl molded in a style that she had never seemed before, seemed almost ancient. One, a gray stone that seemed almost perfectly smooth, caught her eye for the few moments she had to look at it before passing it by.

After a minute or two of walking, they arrived in a cozy study, packed from wall to wall with books, a fireplace built into one of the walls crackling. In front of it were two chairs; one was empty, while in the other was an old man. He looked to the two of them, a smile on his face. Corrin held back a gasp upon seeing that his eyes were the same crimson red of hers, a color she'd never seen in anyone else's eyes. Not only that, but his eyes were…strangely pointed. "Ah, you must be our unexpected guest. Sit, sit. Lilith, could you bring us some tea?" Lilith nodded and left the room.

Corrin slowly sat down, staring at the old man. "Your eyes, they're…"

"I had a similar reaction when Lilith showed me yours. I suppose your being here is no accident, then? You must have come searching for me."

"Searching for you? Why would—"

"Stella sent you, didn't she?" Corrin's silence seemed to be the only answer the old man needed. He chuckled heartily. "Oh, yes. I had a feeling she was still alive. And not much goes past that girl. She always was quite the genius, wasn't she? Ah, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Stella having sent you here tells me that you're exactly who I think you are: a bearer of the hero's blood."

This man must've been the answer Nyx had told Corrin about. There was no other explanation. This was who she was searching for. "Why did she want me to see you? How do you know her? Who are you?"

"Now now, settle down. All your questions will be answered in due time, I can assure you. Just know that I am a friend. And if Stella believes you need to know the truth, then the truth you shall know. I trust her judgement. My name is Mikhail, though the folks nearby like to call me the Rainbow Sage. A bit of a flashy name, but I suppose a sage is a good name for me. After all, they don't call it the Sage's Legacy for nothing." Corrin's heart felt like it was going to stop. "Yes, I am the one who committed the great sin. I forged the Yato."


	45. No Reason

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter this time around. Sorry for the slow upload speeds; I've been finding it hard to focus on this story lately. Plus, I've finally been reading some Stephen King and I can not put his stuff down to save my life. Next chapter should hopefully be more substantial.

Hinoka

"Alright, soldier!" Hinoka paced back and forth in front of her most promising recruit, her hands behind her back. "So far, your training has been going excellently. You have been following orders to the letter…" She stopped, sighing and mumbling, "Even if it did take a while to reach this point…" Clearing her throat, she raised her voice to its commanding tone once again. "Now, it's time for a review! Show me that you've taken my training to heart!" She spun in an about-face, staring down at her recruit. "Sit!"

Kamui the Shiba Inu sat down on his hindquarters, just like he had been trained to. "Good boy." Hinoka squatted down and extended a hand. "Shake." Kamui raised a paw up and set it on her hand. She gave it a gentle shake. "Good boy. Roll over." He rolled. "Jump." He jumped. "Spin." He spun. "Now, attack!" Kamui turned and ran towards the sack of straw Hinoka had set up, biting down and proceeding to tear it to shreds with his teeth. Once he was done, his growling and snarling ceased immediately. He returned to her with a happy smile on his face, panting. She scratched him under the chin, calling him a good boy once more.

"Very good, Kamui. Very good." When Hinoka had found him, he was alone and starving, rummaging for scraps outside of the village. Something about the stray caught her eye, so she took him in, fed him, bathed him, and began teaching him various tricks. She had to admit, the comfort that Kamui brought her immeasurable. She hadn't seen her family in months, thanks to the sensitive nature of the Dragon's Gate. Everyone had agreed that leaving the area was a bad idea, thanks to the risk of potentially being spotted and exposing the existence of the gate. That kind of knowledge in Nohr's hands had the potential to be devastating. After all, Dwyer had been stuck in that gate for gods know how long and he still barely knew how it worked. There was no telling what could be done with it in the right – or in this case, wrong – hands. Having a dog was a nice way to deal with that, oddly enough.

Hinoka grabbed a slice of cheese from the kitchen counter and set it on the floor, letting Kamui eat it. Cheese, as she had discovered fairly quickly, was by far his favorite food, and so she reserved it only for when he was being an especially good boy. Once he had finished, he let out a happy bark.

Someone knocked on the door to the house, and Kamui immediately started barking. Letting out a sigh, Hinoka headed to the door, getting the feeling she knew who it was. Sure enough, Prince Xander was on the other side, standing in that same damned formal way he always did. "Greetings, Princess Hinoka. I thought it best to talk to you face-to-face, in order to smoothen things out between the two of us. We are staying in the same area for the time being, after all."

Kamui began to growl at Xander, staying behind Hinoka. She found that rather funny. "It seems Kamui doesn't like you. Being such a smart dog, I'm not too surprised." If Xander was offended by the remark, he didn't show it. He probably was using some of that etiquette training every member of royalty got – except her of course, she skipped out on that in preference for combat training – and it frustrated her to no end. She looked down to the dog. "Alright Kamui, that's enough." Though that wasn't the exact command she used to quiet him down, he stopped anyways, heading out of the front room, probably to the lump of hay in the corner of her room that he used as a bed.

"May I come in?" Xander asked, as if Hinoka hadn't just insulted him. She almost said no, but figured it wouldn't have done much to stop him, so she gave a single nod of her head, stepping to the side to let him enter. She shut the door behind him, watching him warily. "So this is the house you and your female compatriots stay in? It's remarkably cozy." The village only had so many houses to offer up, so Hinoka and the other girls had taken this one, while Dwyer and Asugi had taken another one. One advantage of the new arrivals was that those two weren't going to get the luxury of having that house all to themselves anymore.

"I'm not a big fan of formalities," Hinoka said, "so why don't you just get to the point so we can save ourselves some time?"

"Very well, then." Xander sat down on a wooden chair, clearly uncomfortable due to its less than ergonomic design. "Your allies have filled us in on what has occurred. The most important subject of these events, as I'm sure you can guess, is Selena – or, I should say, Severa."

"What about her?" Hinoka asked, as if she didn't know that Severa betrayed Nohr, and didn't assume that Xander wasn't too happy about that fact.

"Despite turning her back on Nohr, I'm supposed to trust her, according to your people, as well as Laslow and Odin." He paused, realizing his mistake. "I mean, Inigo and Owain. If mine and Leo's retainer weren't so insistent, I would have executed her myself."

"Good thing you didn't, otherwise there would've been some serious problems between us."

"She's not your responsibility. You have no reason to protect her."

"She saved our lives and brought us to what is probably the safest place in the world right now. That's reason enough." It wasn't as if Hinoka liked Severa in any way; their altercation after Midori went into the Dragon's Gate left them in a perpetual state of loathing one another. Still, even if Hinoka didn't like her, she respected her. Meanwhile, she didn't like or respect Xander. "So she will stay under my protection. Understand?"

"I did not mean to imply that I wish to harm her. Merely that she has done many things that make me highly distrust her. I wanted to make sure this wouldn't lead to any issues."

"Is that a threat?" Hinoka lowered her voice, stepping closer to Xander.

"Quite the opposite. It's an effort to avoid potential hostilities between us. I'd rather our groups coexist here than merely tolerate eachother."

Hinoka laughed at that. "Ironic, coming from the prince of a kingdom full of warmongering savages." Xander's expression was still as stone.

"I did not come here to engage in petty bickering, Princess Hinoka." Xander maintained his stalwart aura, though there was now a condescending tone to his voice. "I have made my position clear, and I do hope that we can stay on amicable terms." Gods, did he skim through a thesaurus before coming to talk to her?

"Listen, Prince Xander," Hinoka said, trying her best to keep up at least a little bit of formality. "I appreciate your desire to prevent conflict between our groups. However, so long as nobody gets into any fights, I think we'll do fine. Coexistence is not what I'm aiming for. The only reason I haven't driven you and your people away is that I can't risk you telling anyone about this place. Understood?"

"Understood perfectly." Xander gave a quick bow of his head. "If you'll excuse me…" Taking Hinoka's silence as approval, he left the house, gently shutting the door behind him. Right after he left, Kamui walked back into the room, sniffing at a random corner. She sighed and scratched him behind the ears for a moment. The second Midori had told her about the arrival of the Nohrians, she knew they were going to be a hell of a headache to deal with, and she was entirely right. Ryoma had always been better at handling these kinds of situations, but hey, at least she could say she handled it better than Takumi would've.

Takumi. Ryoma. Midori. All three of them were extra worries to add onto the pile. Hinoka's brothers hadn't been heard from in months, from what she had heard. There were no stories, no sightings, nothing. It was as if they had dropped off the map entirely. That could just mean that Ryoma was still working with the rebels in Cheve, and Takumi was laying low after hopefully escaping Nohr's clutches. But it could also mean they had been captured or even killed. Hinoka didn't have the luxury of pushing the idea of death out of her mind, not after she had grown up thinking Corrin was dead, and certainly not after Sakura's death.

Then, Midori. Something wasn't right with that girl; Hinoka knew it, and everybody else knew it, too, but nobody dared say anything about it. It was just an unspoken agreement. "Don't say anything upsetting around her," her own interpretation went, "and just act like nothing's wrong." Selena never followed that, of course, but for whatever reason, she and Midori got along strangely well. Selena had even been giving her lessons in swordplay, since her rapid growth had left her far less adept with a bow.

It was after Midori's sudden transformation that Asugi confided in the others about her problems. Hearing about the girl's psychological problems made Hinoka feel awful and even more worried. Everybody thought something would happen after the aging, but Midori didn't do anything. If anything, she seemed better than ever. Still, it didn't feel entirely convincing. Hinoka had a feeling that Midori was just trying to look confident, for the sake of everyone else. It wasn't like she could just talk to her about it, either.

Hinoka sighed, running her hand through her hair. She missed her family. She missed her retainers back in Shirasagi. She missed being able to walk around outside without worrying that someone would recognize her. Despite the people around her, she felt incredibly lonely in her effort to vanish from the world. Even Kamui, as much of a help as he was, only achieved so much in alleviating her loneliness. And now she had to deal with a group of Nohrians that she had to begrudgingly work with. What she wouldn't give for some advice from Ryoma right about now…

Elise

Camilla was hiding something from Elise. The suspicion had grown inside of her ever since the day Xander and Leo fled from Windmire, but she had tried desperately to stifle it. She tried to just accept the story she had been given. It didn't work. That doubt lingered at the edge of her mind, teasing her with the idea that there was something under the surface of the apparent truth. And now, after her encounter with those two strangers, it was no longer just at the edge of her mind; it was taking over, spreading doubt throughout her body until she could deny it no longer.

Just because Elise was young, people often assumed that meant she was an idiot. Even her own siblings could be guilty of this on occasion. In reality, she liked to think she was quite bright. When she had told Camilla about what happened, when she had mentioned that young girl with black hair, the one who spoke like an adult, she noticed the hint of rage in her sister's face. That kind of rage was something she didn't see often, and she knew it was a sign that there would be hell to pay for someone. But why would she be so bothered by that girl in particular?

Elise opted not to mention what the girl had said, about how she shouldn't trust Camilla. She deserved to have her own secret or two, didn't she? It was unfair that everybody else had so many secrets, so many truths they refused to tell her, but yet she was expected to stay honest and open. She was expected to learn to use Brynhildr like a good little girl, to use its sharp branches to hurt people. Was this what Leo felt? This crushing responsibility to use this unknowable power in the proper way. But what was the proper way? Was it the way Camilla dictated, or was it the way Elise thought was right?

Elise knew that she was starting to act distant. No, "starting" was a lie. She was already isolating herself from everybody that she knew. She finally had so much time to spend with Azura, but she found herself denying every opportunity, instead locking herself in her room so that she could spend more time learning how to use Brynhildr. She had made significant progress, too; at this point, she could create an entire tree with enough focus. And not a small one either, but a massive, towering tree that stretched up high, as if trying to grasp the heavens.

There were a couple times when a dangerous thought would cross Elise's mind. She would be practicing her magic, creating a rose, when someone she hated would be nearby. Iago, more often than not. And suddenly, she would want to focus on the thorns on that rose, and she would feel an urge to send those thorns straight into him. She wanted to watch him squirm on those thorns, to beg for his life and to fail in his efforts to convince her to spare him. She wanted to hurt people. She wanted to hurt people so bad, and every time she had that thought, it felt so satisfying to just imagine it. And if imagining it was that satisfying, what would actually doing it feel like?

What if Elise hurt Camilla? What if she pinned her to a wall, wrapped vines around her neck and squeezed tighter and tighter until she spilled all of her secrets? It would be so simple. At this point, she wouldn't even need to concentrate to make those vines burst out of the ground and attack her sister. They'd slither around her limbs and squeeze and squeeze until she heard that satisfying snap—

Elise stopped, realizing what she was thinking. She dashed to the bathroom, trying not to vomit. Sweat coated her face, smothering her in heat, leaving her claustrophobic. Then, finally, she retched, tasting the bitterness of stomach acid on her tongue as the contents of her lunch spilled out. The sweat had spread to her whole body now, giving her a feeling of being pressed from all sides. Her breathing had gone heavy, her stomach heaving in and out. She couldn't breathe, she needed to breathe, she was going to suffocate if she didn't breathe. She collapsed against the wall, finding her eyelids growing oh so painfully heavy. Why had it grown so hot so suddenly? She could still taste the hints of vomit in her mouth. The world shook and twisted, and she became faintly aware of her head impacting the floor before everything went black.

When Elise awoke, she was under too many layers of blankets for comfort, an ice pack nestled atop her forehead. Arthur and Effie were at her bedside, immediately fretting over her once they realized she was awake. She was faintly aware of what they were saying, words like "fever" and "bedridden" and "flu" sticking out of her foggy perception. She was sick? How long had she been sick for? She tried to speak, but her mouth was dry to the point of invoking pain. Arthur fetched her a glass of water, and she drank it down in almost an entire gulp.

"Lady Elise, try not to move," one of her retainers said, she wasn't sure which one. She did as they said. Besides, her bed felt so comfortable and warm, like a loving hug from someone she cared about. The layers upon layers of blankets no longer felt stifling. Her retainers had been there for her, laying her down and putting ice on her feverish forehead and worrying over her even after she had woken up. They cared about her so much.

"Arthur…Effie…" Elise found words to be hard to form, but she spoke anyway, needing to confide in somebody, anybody. "Camilla's hiding something…from me…" Her retainers looked at eachother, confused. Perhaps they thought what she was saying was merely delirium from her sickness. "I need you to…find out…" She felt darkness begin to overtake her senses once again. "Please…" A hesitant nod from the two of them made her smile in relief. At least she could trust them. Knowing that there were people she could still trust made all the difference for her. With that knowledge, she returned to slumber, dreaming of roses and smiling faces, telling her that they would never leave her alone.


	46. No More Secrets

Corrin

Lilith set a slice of apple pie on the table in front of Corrin, and the princess began to dig into it as if she was about to starve to death. In truth, whatever magic mumbo jumbo Lilith had used to heal her had also kept her hunger at bay, but it was still hunger, nonetheless. Mikhail sat across from her, eating his own slice with polite table manners. Yet, he didn't comment on her lack of them and didn't even seem to acknowledge them at all.

Once Corrin was done devouring her slice of pie, she cleared her throat and returned her attention to Mikhail. "So, you're a…dragon. Like, big lizard thing with scales and wings and fire?"

Mikhail chuckled. "I know, I know. I certainly don't look like one, now do I? You have to understand that I'm a bit old at this point. I was in my prime back when I forged the Divine Weapons."

"About that, actually," Corrin said, "you really made them? Like, how? Why?"

"The how is a bit…complex. I held a treasure, you see; it was a relic from an age not even the dragons remembered. It very well may have been the oldest thing in existence, apart from the earth itself. It was called the Fire Emblem. It was comprised of five gemstones of immense power that were contained within the emblem itself. My brothers held the gemstones, whilst I held the emblem. When I struck them down to save them from their madness, I took possession of it in its entirety and used its power to forge the Divine Weapons. Four of the gemstones split in twain, and from that split came two weapons per gemstone. The fifth remained whole, and became the Yato."

"So what you're saying is – oh yes, another slice would be fantastic," Corrin said, eagerly eyeing the second slice of pie that Lilith set down in front of her. "So, you're saying that these weapons are all a part of some old relic? And what about the emblem itself?"

"Destroyed in the process, I'm afraid. The forging of the weapons was irreversible. The state the Fire Emblem is in now is permanent."

Corrin bit her tongue in order to hold back a sarcastic "great", eating her slice of pie to assist in the effort. Lilith hadn't spoken at all since lunch began. As she glanced around the room, she noticed a banner hanging from a nearby wall. The cloth was a deep blue, with strange symbols embroidered into it. "What's that?" she asked.

"Oh?" Mikhail glanced over to the banner. "Ah, yes. That was Saria's. Or at least, a replica of it."

"Saria?" Corrin had heard that name before. Wasn't it when Nyx was fighting Vara back in Krakenburg? "Who's Saria?" Mikhail gave her a smile, and suddenly the world around her was seeming to fade away, like wet paint dripping down to reveal the canvas beneath.

Corrin was outside now, standing in a field of grass, next to a well. "What the—" She stopped, realizing that she wasn't alone. Nearby were two people. There was a woman with long, cream-colored hair that looked almost exactly like her own, kneeling over a man with red eyes and pointed ears.

The man tried to get to his feet. "What…happened? Where am I?"

The woman looked at him with concern. Neither of them seemed to even notice that Corrin was there. "You're by my well. Are you sure you're alright? Did something happen to you?" He didn't say anything. "What's your name?"

"My name…? I…" The man shook his head. "I don't have a name." He finally managed to stand up, and the woman stood up as well.

"Don't have a name? Who in the world doesn't have a name?" the woman asked. Corrin walked closer to them, but they never acknowledged she was there. It was as if she wasn't even a part of the world they were in. "C'mon, stop pulling my leg. What's your name, really?"

"As I said, I have no name. I don't need one." The man began to survey his surroundings, making note of every detail. "Where am I?"

"Like I said, by my well. Everybody needs a name, though."

"Not me. And where are we, on a larger scale?"

"By my house." The woman found herself confused by this stranger who had so suddenly appeared unconscious by her well.

"That's not useful. I need to know where we are in relation to nearby civilizations."

"Um…there's a village, nearby, to the west. It's about a day's journey without resting."

The man was growing impatient. "Are we in Nohr or Hoshido? Just tell me that." The girl answered with a shrug. "How do you not know what country you reside in?"

"I've never needed to know, so I never asked. Don't see what's so wrong about that." The girl picked up her bucket, checking to make sure no water had spilled out. "You seem like you aren't injured, so as long as you can make the journey, you should probably head off to the village before it gets dark. Sun's still gonna be out for a while, after all." With that, she began to head back to her house.

"Hold on!" The man followed after her. "Did you see anything dangerous around here?"

Eyeing the stranger with suspicion, she continued on. "No I did not, mister no-name. Why? Is there something dangerous around here?" They passed by a chicken coop that was already active with now fully awake fowl. One of them, however, seemed much less active than the others.

"N-no. No danger. Just wondering." He looked at the stationary chicken, tilting is head. "Is something wrong with it?"

"That's Tara. I think she might be coming down with something, but I'll have to wait and see." They arrived at the front door of her house. "Listen, I have chores to do. I've still gotta hang up the laundry, sharpen the axe, use that axe to chop some firewood…it's a lot. So I'd appreciate if you didn't hang around to distract me."

"What if…I were to help you?" The man's question made her raise an eyebrow. "I don't have anywhere in particular to go, after all. Perhaps I could stay with you? I'd earn my keep."

"Well, that's a tempting offer, no-name, but you're not exactly a very trustworthy-looking person." She put her hands on her hips. "It's really the 'no-name' part that bugs me. If you'd just tell me your name, I'd consider it."

"Ma'am, I truly do not have a name. I am not lying to you when I say that."

"Hmm…" She put her hand on her forehead, sighing. "Fine, then I guess I'll have to come up with something to call you. Mikhail, then."

"Mikhail?"

"Yeah, you've got a problem with it?"

"N-no. It's a good name."

"Good." She smiled, holding out a hand. "My name's Saria. Nice to meetcha!" Mikhail hesitantly shook her hand, feeling her strong grip.

_I had just defeated my brothers. It seemed that the fight had left me significantly weakened. I had assumed a human form and found myself in the middle of nowhere. Saria intrigued me from the very beginning. She behaved like nobody I had ever seen, and she gave me a name. A name was something I was unused to._

The scene shifted. Now, Mikhail was chopping wood behind the house, wiping sweat from his brow. Saria ran nearby, trying to catch one of her chickens. "Minerva! Agh, get back here!" He chuckled to himself as he watched her try and catch Minerva to no avail, splitting another chunk of wood.

_She lived alone. Her parents once lived with her, but they passed when she was barely a teenager._

Mikhail stood inside of Saria's house, staring at that same banner Corrin had inquired on. He asked her what it was. "Oh, that old thing? Not too sure. I think my parents said it was some family sigil. I mainly just keep it around cause I can't bear to let the darn thing go. No idea why."

_Over time, my powers began to come back, but I kept them hidden. I did not wish for Saria to know who I truly was. I had never wished to involve myself in human affairs, and that still held true. However, I found myself unable to leave her. Something about her made me feel a way I had never felt._

"So let me get this straight," Saria said, "you were out chopping wood when the axe head just…conveniently split clean off the handle."

"Yes," Mikhail lied. In reality, he had accidentally used more strength than he intended and ended up sending the axe head flying. "I-I could get a new one, if you'd like."

Sighing, Saria shook her head. "Just…hang up the laundry. I'll go to the village and buy a new axe."

_I wanted to be with her, to help her in any way I could._

"Oh, poor thing…" Saria gently pet Tara's head, trying to comfort the sick chicken. Her breathing was slow and strained, and she looked like death itself. "Shh, it's okay, Tara. It's alright. You'll be okay." She was trying not to cry. "You'll be—" She choked on her own words, pulling her hand away from her dying chicken.

Tara was a newborn chick back when Saria's parents died, and now was the only living chicken from when they were still alive. Mikhail understood the importance of that; losing Tara was like losing her parents all over again. In her grief, Saria soon ran out of the room so that she wouldn't have to cry in front of anyone.

Mikhail approached the dying chicken. Tara had never liked him, but now that she was so sickly, she couldn't even muster up the strength to run away from him. Ever so gently, he set his hands on her and closed his eyes. A warm light enveloped his hands and spread to her. It didn't last long — no more than a few seconds —, but it was enough. Suddenly, Tara was scratching at his hands, desperate to get away from him.

Tara's loud clucking sent Saria running in, anticipating the worst. Instead, she found Mikhail rubbing a small scratch he had been given with a meek smile on his face, while Tara was running around the room, fully rejuvenated. She didn't ask what had saved her chicken, and he had the feeling she knew, at least somewhat.

_Then, autumn leaves began to fall, and I found myself packing to leave._

Mikhail stood on Saria's front porch with a pack full of supplies. She was checking to make sure everything was in the right place. "Right, water canteen, some carrots, sleeping bag…etcetera, etcetera…looks like everything's there!"

"I must thank you again, Saria," Mikhail said, "for all your help. You certainly didn't need to give me so many supplies."

"Eh, I wasn't gonna use them. Might as well give them to you, right?" Saria smiled, looking at Mikhail for a moment long enough to induce a bit of awkwardness. "A-anyways, happy trails!"

"Yes, happy trails." Mikhail took a step off the porch, then another. He stopped, turned around, and opened his mouth, hesitating for a moment. "Actually…winter's going to arrive rather soon, won't it? Traveling in that kind of weather isn't the wisest decision. Maybe I should…stick around. Until winter is over."

For a while, Saria was silent. The only sound was the wind blowing through the grass and the trees. "…until winter is over. Besides, I need the help prepping for the snow. You're gonna put everything in that pack back where it came from though, you hear?"

"Right. Right! Of course. Not a thing out of place." The two found themselves smiling at eachother for a moment. Embarrassment sent a gentle red into their cheeks as their eyes flickered away.

_I had fallen for her. And before the winter was over, I learned that she had fallen for me. She invited me to stay with her, and I gladly accepted. For the rest of that winter, I felt as if life was perfect. But spring came, and with it came a visitor who would disrupt this peaceful life._

A knock on the front door sent Saria running to answer, believing it was Mikhail, back from chopping firewood. She opened the door, but his face didn't greet her. Nothing did, in fact — not until she looked down and realized that there was a small child on her doorstep. The girl was pale, with long, dark hair that flowed messily in all sorts of directions. She looked up, a smile beaming on her face. "Hello, Miss! My name's Stella, princess of Nohr! Have you seen any dragons around here lately?"

The vision faded, and Corrin was back in the dining room. Mikhail, old and weary, nearly fell out of his chair, only stopped by a worried Lilith. "No need to worry," he said, "I'm just a bit tired out. It's been a long time since I've used that much magic. I suppose it was a bit more than I could handle!" He tried to look cheery, but Corrin could tell he was exhausted. "I thought showing you would be better than simply giving a dull explanation."

Lilith set a hand on Mikhail's shoulder. "Perhaps it would be for the best if you were to rest for now."

"Yes, yes. Of course. Thank you, Lilith. My apologies, Corrin, but it seems this story must be put on hold." Lilith helped Mikhail stand up, supporting him as they headed out of the room.

Corrin's head was spinning. That woman, Saria…she looked so much like her. The red eyes were the major difference, but Mikhail had red eyes. Was Saria…was she the hero? Was Corrin her descendant? Was Mikhail, this ancient dragon, actually her ancestor?

Corrin didn't see Mikhail for the rest of the day. Lilith informed her that he was resting up. That was fine; she needed time to grapple with the information she had already been given. She remembered when she used to be a skeptic about ancient dragons and all that hocus-pocus. Now, she was living in that world. She had gone through what could only be described as a full-on vision, granted to her by her dragon ancestor. It was times like these when she really missed her old life.

It wasn't like Corrin's old life was anything desirable. She had her family — she was comfortable with still considering Shura, Niles, and Rinkah family, even after she had met her blood relatives — but beyond that everything was an uphill battle. It was common to upend everything in her life to avoid dying. But there was a beautiful simplicity to all of it. You stole, or you died. You got good at stealing, or you died. It was black and white, despite living in the gray area that is stealing to survive. If she got caught, it was her fault. Whenever someone told her that thieves needed to work honest jobs, she explained that it _was_ an honest job. If you robbed someone and succeeded, you got to live another day. If you failed, you lost your head. If anything, the cons outweighed the pros.

But Corrin loved it. Even though she had to force herself to think that way, she still did love that life. The thrill of a heist, the danger, it made her feel alive. Now, after everything that has happened, she just felt…empty. Her friends left. Her family was gods-know-where. She had to watch Shura die. And now she was here, getting more wrapped up into this gigantic, end of the world scenario. She didn't want any of this. She just wanted to run away and live a simple life, away from all of it.

She started to seriously consider if she should run. But no, it wouldn't work. Camilla wouldn't let her, not without making sure she paid a price. Azura was still there with her, and Elise, and probably more people she cared about. She hadn't known Camilla long, but she could tell that woman wouldn't care much about killing them if it meant getting even with Corrin for not fulfilling her plan.

Of course, that was Camilla's strategy. Corrin was the only one who could wield the Yato, which meant she had to be following Camilla for the plan to work. If she had been younger, more brash, she wouldn't have thought twice about killing her. But now she knew there were people depending on her. If she disobeyed Camilla, people would die. Azura would die.

That look that Azura gave her when she escaped Krakenburg still haunted her, just like Sakura's last words. She couldn't tell Sakura that she thought of her as a sister, and she betrayed Azura's trust in her. Shura died because of her. Rinkah lost her arm because she had led everyone on her stupid adventure. Ophelia was dead. Nina was possessed. Niles and Mozu's last words to her were ones of contempt. And her siblings were just…gone. She had heard nothing about them, no matter where she went. It was as if they had vanished from the earth. Everyone who got close to her ended up suffering.

Maybe that was why she needed to run, so nobody else would get hurt because of her. Maybe, once all was said and done, she would disappear. Maybe that would be for the best. Maybe, maybe, maybe. What happened to the Corrin who was always sure of herself, who knew what she wanted to do and did it, damn the consequences? Now she couldn't stop second-guessing herself. Maybe maybe maybe maybe maybe.

By nighttime, Corrin's head was still swarming with thoughts and doubts, making it just about impossible to sleep. She found herself roaming around the house, examining all the various artifacts and antiques that were on display. A gentle humming coming from outside caught her attention. On the front porch, Lilith was leaning against the wooden railing and humming to herself, staring up at the moon.

"Hey," Corrin said, scaring Lilith a little bit, "what's up?"

"Oh, Lady Corrin! Ah, I'm simply stargazing. The night sky is so beautiful here." Lilith glanced at Corrin for a moment before returning her attention to the sky.

"Oh no, please don't start with that 'lady' stuff. Just Corrin is fine." Walking up next to Lilith, Corrin rested her arms on the railing. "You're right about that sky, though." She had spent so much of her life keeping her head down that she didn't often look up and just admire the sky like this. "The old man told me you were the one who patched me up. Thanks for that."

"No need to thank me. I was simply doing as Mikhail ordered."

"You know, if you don't mind me asking, what's your deal with him? You a relative of his, or something?" Corrin's question was met with a shake of the head.

"No, I'm not related to him. I'm here because I owe him my life. Dragons like us are near-extinct at this point. Most believe we're the stuff of myths and folktales. When one of us is found, it can cause quite a stir. I was discovered and hunted by men who wished to profit off me. I took injuries that I believed were fatal, and very nearly perished. Mikhail was nearby when it happened, and he saved me."

"Geez, that sounds pretty damn rough," Corrin said sympathetically. Being hunted for something out of your control was something she could relate to.

"I offered up my services to assist Mikhail so that I could repay my debt. He wanted to shrug it off, but I was insistent. Besides, this place is one of the safest in the world for a dragon like me. Being under his protection in such an isolated location guarantees peace of mind."

"So, what, you just clean and stuff? Make meals, rake the leaves, that sort of thing?"

"I also venture down to the local village on occasion, to purchase various foods and items. They don't ask where I come from, thankfully. I believe they regard me as some spirit of good luck. Understandable, since I've been making these trips for a few hundred years or so." Lilith giggled at that, but it quickly faded into a darker expression. "There is…one more thing I must do for him."

Lilith's dark expression didn't go unnoticed by Corrin. "Hm? What's that?"

With a shaky breath, Lilith explained. "Dragons are both blessed and cursed with long life. We are the oldest living creatures on the earth. However, this means that we must watch loved ones grow old and withered, while we remain young. Centuries go by with us only exhibiting small changes. And eventually, when our lives near their natural end, we are doomed to go mad. Mikhail has been fortunate enough to avoid this fate much longer than most, but regardless…" She paused. "Regardless, when that day does come, it is my duty to put him out of his misery."

Corrin wasn't sure what to say. "I…I see," was all she could come up with. The idea of watching someone she cared about grow insane, and then having to kill them, sounded like utter hell. "You must be very strong if you can take on a task like that." Saying that in such a formal way sounded stiff coming from her, but she felt her usual casual attitude didn't really work right now.

Lilith didn't say anything for a while, just looking up at the sky. "Mikhail's overjoyed to see you, you know. He very nearly mistook you for Saria when he first saw you. Before you arrived, he had very nearly given up hope that any of his bloodline had survived."

"So I am his descendant, then." Corrin sighed. "Descendant of the Light and Dawn dragons. Daughter of the King and Queen of Hoshido. Destined to wield the Yato and save the world. Gods, what a mess…"

"You believe in the gods?" Lilith asked curiously.

"Huh? I mean, I dunno. Never really became religious, but I'm not gonna count them out. Thinking something is a hundred percent or zero percent has generally been a bad idea, in my experience. Why do you ask?"

"I don't think there are any gods. Not anymore, at least." Lilith spoke that in a way that reminded Corrin just how old she truly was. "Maybe, once upon a time, when the world was young, there were deities that governed it. But now, with dragons dying off…this is a world of men. I think it has been for a long time. And mankind has a fascinating habit of ignoring godly ideas like destiny and fate. I'm surprised you're so willing to give in to it."

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?" Setting her elbow on the railing, Corrin rested her chin in her hand. "People I care about are gonna die if I don't take that stupid sword. I'm petty and stubborn, sure, but not to that level. Fate's kinda got me in a bind here."

"You seem clever enough to find a way out of this, Corrin. I'm sure Mikhail would say the same thing."

"Thanks, but I think you're giving me a little too much credit here." Corrin rubbed the back of her head. "I mean, you two barely know anything about me. Bit of a leap to assume I'm smart enough to figure that out."

"Perhaps. Still, wouldn't you want to try?" Lilith's question was one that Corrin had trouble answering. She didn't end up answering at all, instead just staring up for a while longer before eventually excusing herself, finally feeling a little tired for once. She didn't sleep well, but she did sleep, eventually.

The next day, Mikhail was back to his usual self and ready to show Corrin more, if she wished. She was hesitant, but she agreed, wanting to know the rest of the story. And so, the world around her once again faded away, replaced by the inside of Saria's cabin. Saria was staring out her window at Stella, who was scratching the chin of one of her chickens while smiling. The chicken looked like she was loving it. Saria, meanwhile, was frowning. "Mikhail," she said, "care to explain?"

Mikhail was sitting at their table, his hands held together in his lap. "I've never met that girl in my life."

"That's not what I mean, and you know it. She said things that were unbelievable, Mikhail. She talked about dragons, and the fate of everything. She said she was a princess of Nohr. She said you were a…a..."

"A dragon."

Saria turned her head to look at Mikhail. "So it's true, then. You're not human." She looked like she was going to lose her mind, but instead all she did was hold her head in her hands. "Gods, Mikhail, what's going on!?" It was all because Mikhail had healed the chicken. The magic he used left some trace that had been followed, revealing that there was a dragon that still lived. Now, Nohr had sent its representative to meet him – a little girl.

_I explained everything to her. Every detail I had kept hidden came out, and by the end, she looked at me in a completely different way. I was worried that I had lost her forever._

"I'm sorry," Mikhail said, approaching her. "I should have told you. I know I should have. But I was…afraid. Afraid of what you'd say, or what you'd do." She looked at him, kneading her hands together in an effort to stay collected.

"I don't care who you are, or what happened, Mikhail. If I did, I wouldn't have fallen in love with you. I never asked about those things because I didn't think they mattered anymore. I just wish you had told me. That's all." Saria's words came as a relief to Mikhail, who took her hands in his own.

"No more secrets. No more hiding. I promise."

_I listened to what Stella had to say. She told me she had come from Nohr under orders from her father, the king. With their patron dragons gone, Nohr and Hoshido were collapsing. They needed beacons to guide them, and they believed they could find them through me. I initially declined, but it was Saria who convinced me to help. That was why I created the Divine Weapons. I thought they could keep a balance in the land by granting the nations power to steady themselves with. I gave the Yato to the only person I could trust with its power. And she accepted. I should have seen how much it tore her apart inside. She was a strong woman, but that kind of power was something she never wanted and could never hope to handle for long._

_I thought that Saria considering herself a part of no nation would make her the perfect judge of which should rule. Instead, she couldn't decide. I was young and foolish then, and I believed that it was the only way to guarantee peace. All I ended up doing was ensuring ruin on everything I held dear. Paranoia and suspicion began to fester amongst the wielders of the Divine Weapons, and eventually they turned against me. Saria and I managed to escape from them once._

_Stella believed that Saria needed to die so that Nohr's future could be guaranteed. I wish I could begrudge her for this, but I understand her decision. Though she was brilliant even at a young age, she still bore the foolishness of youth. And so, she turned to Brynhildr, the weapon she was entrusted to wield. She wished to grow stronger so that she could destroy us. Some pages of that tome contained secrets too dangerous to be uncovered, but she poured through it endlessly in order to find every one. And eventually, this fervor for strength ended in suffering._

Stella was alone, on her hands and knees, sobbing in the middle of a complex circular rune carved into the stone floor. Corrin recognized the surroundings as the throne room of Krakenburg. But there was nobody else there. "Mama…" Stella whispered. "Papa…I'm sorry…"

_She had unleashed a spell that was beyond her control and consumed the lives of her mother and father, as well as countless others. In exchange, she was granted power, though not the kind she had wished for. Instead of strength, she found herself cursed with seemingly eternal youth. She was unable to grow or age, trapped inside of the body of a child. Her elder brother succeeded the throne, and though he refused to punish her for her mistake, she never forgave herself._

"Mikhail," Saria said, tears in her eyes as she tried to force a smile. "Run. If they take me, and if you stay hidden, they won't come after you. They won't come after our baby boy."

"I'm not going to leave you! I won't!" He tried to take her hands, but she took a step back.

"I'm not asking you. I'm begging you, Mikhail. Live."

_Saria was killed. I hid the Yato, cursed the Divine Weapons with the desire to bring it back, and then hid myself away in Notre Sagesse. I left my child in the hands of the first family I could find that would accept him. I could not even look him in the eyes, let alone raise him, after what had happened to her. I regret that decision now. I regret so many of the decisions I made back then._

Once more, Corrin was back in Mikhail's house, staring at that blue banner. Saria's banner. "What…" She paused, swallowing. "What happened after that?"

Mikhail's grief was plainly visible. "Time moved on. The existence of the Yato and the four Divine Weapons not wielded by Hoshido or Nohr were hidden. Skadi was eventually sealed away with all remaining evidence of the truth. The other three exchanged hands for generations, but they eventually became Nohr's possessions, hidden away."

"And…and Stella?"

"Though Nohr's royal family spent decades searching for a cure to her condition, it was for naught. One day, she simply vanished, fleeing from the world at large and resigning herself to a life of solitude. It was her way of attempting to atone. Eventually, she too was forgotten." Corrin stewed in her thoughts. "You must loathe me. Everything that has happened to you is because of me."

"I would've done the same thing, you know," Corrin said, surprising the old man. "Even though I know it wouldn't be the right thing, I would've done it. Because I'm just as much of an idiot as you were. So I don't blame you." She stood up from her chair. "I need to go."

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah. I…I think I get it now. The world's been stuck this way for a while, now. People who decide how the world works make the wrong decisions, and that makes the people in that same position later down the line make the same mistakes. King Garon wanted to fix the world, too. So does Camilla." She clenched her hand into a fist. "But they're wrong. You were wrong."

"Then what will you do?" Mikhail asked. It wasn't out of anger, but curiosity. "How will you fix the world?"

"I think I know what to do. Can I ask you something important?" Corrin looked into his eyes, and he nodded. She asked her question, and for a moment afterward, the room was silent. Then, he laughed.

"You really are something special, Corrin. To answer your question, I believe it should be possible. But is this really what you wish to do?" he asked. Corrin nodded. "Very well, then. I wish you the best of luck."

"I'll come back," Corrin said. "and we can have some tea, or something. Once this is all over."

"I'd very much like that, Corrin." And so, Corrin prepared to leave. She still wanted to run, of course. She wanted to flee with her tail tucked between her legs. She wanted to cower in some dark corner and wait for everything to be over. But it would only hurt her and everyone else even more. Mikhail's story taught her that. She needed to stand and fight, even if she didn't want to.

As Corrin stepped out the door to Mikhail's house, Lilith called her name, running up to her. She held a bundle of blue cloth in her hands. "Mikhail wanted me to give this to you before you left, as a parting gift. I…m-made it myself." The dragon seemed genuinely embarrassed. Corrin took the gift, unfolding the cloth and realizing that it was a cape, emblazoned with the symbol on Saria's banner. Inside of the folded-up cape was a soft, gray stone – the same one she had seen when she first came inside.

"What's this?" she asked, holding the stone up and inspecting it.

"Mikhail said you'd need it, and that your blood would let you use it. He said you'll know what it is soon enough." Lilith held her hands together in front of her, giving a sheepish smile. Corrin nodded and placed the stone in a pouch, before slinging the cape around her, fitting it into her armor. It flowed down to her ankles, but just barely avoided touching the ground. Though she usually preferred clothing that was much less flashy, something about the cape felt right to her.

"Thank you, Lilith." With that, Corrin set off, waving a goodbye. She wasn't sure what it was, but something in her felt stronger, more determined. She doubted she was going to suddenly stop second-guessing herself, but she could at least keep moving forward. She still wished she could live her old life, but she accepted that she wasn't going to get that. There was a burden she had to carry – not for her sake, but for the sake of the people she cared about. She wouldn't fail.


	47. Out of my Hands

Dwyer

When Dwyer first saw his father in Xander's group, he was rather taken aback. Perhaps it had just been the recent turn of events taking his mind off his parents, but he honestly didn't even think about the idea of seeing them again. Of course, that also meant he wasn't exactly ready to talk to his father about that, so he decided to keep the truth to himself, for the time being. What his father didn't know wouldn't hurt him, after all.

Dwyer instead focused more of his attention on his friends. He had to be there for Midori, who was having a hard time lately. Mitama had just recently come down with a fever. And Siegbert was going through a loss that Dwyer couldn't even begin to comprehend. While he didn't enjoy balancing so many responsibilities, he had accepted long ago that he was cursed to wind up doing so no matter what the situation was. Even now, he had been the one sent out to shop for supplies, which was a colossal task in and of itself. Everybody always wanted something different, and the new Nohrian guests they had made things even worse.

Sometimes, Dwyer wondered if the townspeople were starting to get sick of their presence. Selena and her friends may have saved the town way back when, but he doubted that goodwill would last forever. Nobody seemed to recognize Hinoka, which was very good, but even so, suspicions were being raised as to what exactly they were doing here. He tried his best to keep his head down and avoid raising more suspicion.

At least the shopping trip wasn't being done alone. Midori walked next to Dwyer, humming to herself as she looked around at the shops. "You think Mitama would like it if I made her favorite stew tonight?" She asked.

"Considering it's her favorite stew, yeah. I get the feeling she'd like that." Dwyer tried to keep the sarcasm to a minimum but didn't exactly succeed in that endeavor. "I'm pretty sure Severa hates that stuff, though."

"Well, if Severa doesn't like it, she's more than welcome to make her own stew," Midori said, following it with a "humph". "Just because she's giving me sword fighting lessons does not mean I owe her any favors."

Dwyer found that a bit funny. "Just yesterday, you nearly broke your arm climbing a tree because Severa mentioned she was hungry for apples."

"Well, I was feeling generous!" With a pouty face, Midori crossed her arms. Dwyer decided not to push it, for the time being. "Alright, what's next on the list…" She pulled out a scrap of paper filled to the brim with items to purchase. "More food for Kamui? Seriously!? He eats so much for such a little thing. Good thing he's cute."

"He chewed up my shoes."

"Like I said, cute." Midori's comment got an annoyed grunt as a response, which made her laugh pretty hard. "Aw, I'm just kidding! Here, I'll make it up to you; how about I get you a new book?"

"…Two new books."

"Fine, fine. Two new books. But don't make me get the crazy expensive ones, okay? I still gotta make room in our spending budget for the actual groceries." Just when Dwyer thought the deal was over, Midori gave him a good elbow in the ribs, chortling. "There! Now the two books are worth it. Now c'mon let's—"

Someone tapped Dwyer on the shoulder. "Pardon me…" He and Midori turned around simultaneously. He didn't recognize the stranger, but Midori visibly tensed up. "Hm? Something wrong?" The stranger asked.

"N-Nothing. Nothing at all…" Midori's voice had gone soft as well. Something was definitely wrong. Dwyer was sure he had never seen this person before, though. After all, one doesn't forget a girl with such bright, candy-colored hair. Pinks and blues like that stick out like a sore thumb in someone's mind.

"Must be a big fan of my outfit, then. It's just adorable, isn't it?" The girl did a twirl, finishing it with a giggle. "Anyways, I'm looking for some people! Very dear friends of mine, in fact! Have you seen them?"

Corrin

The solitude that Corrin got to enjoy on her way down the mountain was something she definitely didn't take for granted. She had asked a few people if they had seen a songstress or a girl with blue hair and a purple bandanna, but nobody seemed to have a clue. More time alone, she supposed; more time to think, too.

Of course, that alone time was never going to last. Almost the second Corrin stepped foot into the coastal town that contained the port leading off the island, Beruka was right behind her, seemingly from out of nowhere. "Ah, there you are," the assassin said, scaring the living daylights out of Corrin in the process. "I was worried we had lost you." She looked pretty alright, although there were one or two new scars visible on her neck.

"Rhajat said those Faceless did a number on you guys. Everyone alright?" Corrin's question was met with a nod. "That's a relief." She explained to Beruka what had happened, leaving out some of the more fantastical pieces of the story, as well as that certain question she had asked Mikhail. That was best kept to herself. "Where's Layla? Oh, and that kid you mentioned. I still haven't gotten to meet him yet."

"They're in the market. Follow me." And just like that, Beruka was already heading down the city streets. Not one for idleness, that girl. Corrin followed after her, happy to just soak in the sights on the way. The port town was definitely the highlight of her little trip in terms of atmosphere. When they caught up to Layla, she was absolutely ecstatic to see Corrin again, giving her a big hug that got a bit too close for comfort. The kid that was with her made Corrin do a double take, convinced that she was looking at Takumi, who must've reverted back to a child. Beruka had to convince her – really, really convince her – that this kid was Takumi's son from the future, like Nina and the others. Even once she accepted it, she wasn't entirely convinced. He looked like a dead ringer for her brother.

As for Kiragi himself, he had an attitude that Corrin immediately both loved and hated. Just like her, he seemed to get some fun out of her anger, which she could respect. He reminded her a bit of herself, when she was his age: a mixture of wide-eyed optimism and cold cynicism. Apparently, he even had played the hero back when Rhajat sent Faceless after them. Layla nearly got crushed to a pulp, but he had risked his own life to take down the one that was attacking her.

Once Corrin had finished catching up with everyone, they headed to the docks to figure out what ship they were going to take back to the mainland. She scouted out the area, looking for ships that met her criteria: fast and discreet. The area wasn't very busy, with most of the ships safely docked, their crews likely getting wasted in the cheapest bars they could find. That just meant that spotting any potential shady characters was a lot easier. So it wasn't long before she noticed someone sitting on the side of the dock, their legs dangling over the edge. They had a long, black cloak, but she could tell already that they were bad news.

The person spoke, somehow having noticed Corrin had spotted them. "I dig the cape." Nina's voice surprised Corrin, but she reminded herself what had happened to Nina. This wasn't her. "Very recognizable pattern on the back. Man, this is gonna make Camilla's day."

"What're you doing here?" Corrin asked, her hand at her sword's handle in case Vara tried to make a move.

"Not looking for you, surprisingly enough. I didn't even know you were on this island. And if I had known that Mikhail of all people was here, I'd already be looking for him. I knew the bastard was still alive, after all this time. Pests like him have a habit of hanging around too long. But hey, while I'm here I might as well nab the two of you. It'll earn me some brownie points with Camilla."

"Funny, you didn't strike me as a lapdog." The others were nowhere to be found, which worried Corrin. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to take on a Divine Weapon on her own, especially when that weapon was possessing her friend. "Are you that much of a pushover, or do you just have a thing for psychos with busts?"

Vara chuckled morosely. "Oh, you're a riot. Now, how about you tell me where Mikhail is, and I won't knock out any of your teeth. Sound good?" She stood up and looked at Corrin, her purple eyes shining brilliantly under her dark hood. Her bow materialized in her hand with a flaming arrow already notched. "Sorry, I'll rephrase. Tell me where Mikhail is, and don't put up a fight, or I will break every bone in your body and—" An arrow flew past Corrin's face fast enough for her to feel the wind stinging her cheek and dug into Vara's shoulder. She stumbled back, nearly falling off the dock. The arrow didn't stay in her shoulder, however; it vanished into nothing, just like an arrow from…

Corrin spun around, realizing who had shot the arrow. Standing next to his older brother with a look of satisfaction on his face, Takumi notched another arrow. Ryoma held up Raijinto as lightning crackled over the blade. "Walk away from our sister," Takumi said, "or we'll make sure you can't walk again."

Vara readied her bow in spite of the pain in her shoulder when a shadow rushed over her. She looked up at the sky, aiming at the wyvern above, only for Takumi to land another shot in her other shoulder. The wyvern rushed down and pounced on her, screeching in pain when purple flames enveloped its feet, sending it back. The rider jumped down from the beast and slammed the end of her poleaxe against Vara's head, knocking her out. Sighing, Scarlet nudged her foot against her face, making sure she was unconscious.

"Think I hit her too hard?" Scarlet asked, strapping her axe to her back. "Hey, Corrin. Fancy seeing you here!"

"What're—" Corrin looked at the three of them, confused. "What're you three doing here!?" As if to answer her question, a voice came from behind them.

"SCARLET!" Layla ran past Corrin and towards the blonde, wrapping her in a hug that nearly knocked her off her feet. "Oh my gods, I'm so glad to see you're safe!" Scarlet's stoic demeanor dissolved in an instant, replaced by a loving smile.

"Layla, oh thank goodness! If anything had happened to you, I'd never be able to forgive myself!" Scarlet's hug was just as strong, making Corrin genuinely worry that she was going to crush Layla. Yet the songstress seemed to barely even register it.

"I'm sorry, what's going on here?" Corrin asked. Layla turned her head, smiling at her.

"I told you I was waiting here for my sister, didn't I?" Layla seemed just as confused as Corrin was, as if saying that Scarlet was her sister was a perfectly normal, unsurprising thing to do. The two of them didn't exactly look like relatives. "Did you get my letter, Scarlet? I was worried it might've been intercepted."

Scarlet shook her head. "Can't say I did. Actually, I sent you a letter, but I wasn't sure if it'd reach you in time. I'm assuming you got compromised?" Layla nodded. "Thought so. Cheve got attacked by Queen Camilla herself. She slaughtered my men and killed more than a few innocent folks along the way. The survivors scattered, and the only ones I ran into after it was over were Ryoma and Takumi."

Corrin looked to her younger brother. "You were with Ryoma?"

"Yeah," Takumi said with a nod. "After you got me out of Krakenburg, I lost track of where my people were. I didn't wanna risk traveling to the opposite side of the continent to get home, so I headed to Cheve. Didn't get to stay cozy for long, though. How about you?"

"I listened to the advice of one of the oldest living beings in the world in the body of a child and wound up here," Corrin said with casual indifference. "All my old buddies are gone, so it's just me, Layla and…" She paused, looking around. "Wait, where did they go, anyways?"

"Right here," Beruka said, her head resting on the edge of the dock while her body was submerged, "Lady Corrin." Anybody who didn't scream and jump back quickly trained their weapons on her until Corrin and Layla hastily explained that Beruka was on their side.

Kiragi was the next to appear from under the dock. "Hey mom, can we get out of the water now? I know it's for stealth and stuff, but it's really cold." He looked at Takumi. "Oh, hey dad." In that moment, Takumi and Beruka made eye contact, and the entire world seemed to stop for a moment. Corrin had to resist the urge to make a bet as to whether they'd try and kill eachother or not.

Ryoma cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should catch up after we've dealt with her." He pointed to the unconscious Vara, making Corrin wince, still not used to fighting someone with a friend's face. At least when she was betrayed in the past, she knew she could hate them. This, though? This wasn't Nina, but it was still _her_ , in a way.

Sighing, Scarlet headed over to Vara. "I'll carry her. If anybody asks, she's drunk. Alright?" Everyone nodded aside from Beruka and Kiragi, who were too busy climbing up onto the docks. Takumi offered them both a hand up, but Kiragi was the only one to take it. All Beruka did was stare menacingly at him.

Layla was already talking Scarlet's ear off, giving every single detail about her travels to Notre Sagesse, and everybody else was just doing their best to ignore it, to varying degrees of success. For the time being, Corrin stayed silent. Her story was a lot harder of a pill to swallow, after all. She and Takumi briefly locked eyes, and he gave her a friendly smile. It took her aback; she couldn't even remember the last time someone had smiled at her like that. It was the kind of smile that had some sadness in it, as if he already knew everything she had gone through, just by looking at her. Was she that open of a book?

Ryoma slowed down a bit so Corrin could catch up to him. "It's good to see you again, Corrin."

"Yeah," was all Corrin said. It was still hard for her to do the whole 'friendly exchange' thing.

"Are you well? I can't have my sister being injured or sick, after all." What, did he think she was hiding something like that? Gods, the nerve! This was exactly the kind of stuff that made her want to be alone. He didn't need to say that, especially when she was his—

"Half-sister." The word came out of Corrin's mouth before she could stop herself. "Not your sister, your half-sister. And I'm fine, so how about you leave me the hell alone?" The rest came out very intentionally. She had already said the important part, so why not follow it up? Her voice was low enough so that only Ryoma heard. She didn't bother to turn her head and see his face. Frankly, imagining it was probably going to be a lot more satisfying than seeing whatever face he was really making.

No response ever came. Corrin began to worry; did Ryoma _know_? Had someone already told him that they didn't share the same mother, and he was just hiding it from her? Did her other siblings know too? "Corrin, it wasn't my choice to keep that from you. Mother wished to save that information until you were better acclimated to life in Shirasagi."

"You mean you were scared that I wouldn't consider you guys family because we have different moms."

"I'd word it differently, but…yes."

"If we were alone, I'd punch you." Corrin's words audibly surprised Ryoma. "Do you think I care? I just said that because…because…gods, I don't know. I wanted to get you mad, I guess. I grew up with three people I wasn't related to in the slightest. At least we still have the same dad. We're family, and that's final. If you even consider the idea that I think otherwise, I _will_ knock you into next week. Got it?"

Corrin assumed Ryoma would be furious at her for throwing such a glorified tantrum. She was mad at herself, frankly. But he didn't get mad; he just laughed. It was a low, quiet laugh, but she heard it, and she had no idea how to respond. Before she even had the chance, he walked ahead, returning to the front of the group. She nearly stopped walking altogether, having to remind her feet to keep moving. Gods, her siblings were a bunch of weirdos. She wasn't sure she'd want it any other way.

Nina

**"Damnit, my head…"**

_Oh, you're awake now? Took you long enough. I haven't figured out how to wander around on my own yet, so I'm stuck here in pitch-black nothingness until you wake up._ They were in a small, empty room with stone bricks making up the wall and ceiling. That meant Vara burning her way out was out of the question. _In times like these, I'm actually glad I can't feel pain._

 **"Just shut up and…"** Vara held a hand to her forehead, rubbing it in an attempt to get rid of her headache. "Ugh…they hit me hard," she said aloud.

_Yeah, they did. It was kind of beautiful to watch, really._

"You're soooo talkative when I get hurt, but when I get the upper hand, you're as quiet as a mouse. All that does is motivate me to kill more of your friends." Nina didn't say anything in response to that. "That's what I thought. If I'm honest though, I'm feeling a little bad about killing Velouria. She was a hell of a fighter."

_She wasn't my friend. I just knew her. Besides, I thought empathy wasn't on your list of available emotions._

"My emotions are your emotions, dumbass. I'm more you than I am me."

_That didn't stop you from almost killing Forrest._

"Keyword being 'almost'. Why do you think I only grazed him? I…" Vara paused. Was she actually getting emotional? No, no, of course she wasn't. She was a good actor. "I couldn't do it. Your damn crush on him wouldn't let me."

_What, are you telling me you've got a crush on my boyfriend?_

"Yep, pretty much."

_Pervert._

"Like I said: your emotions." The door to the room opened up, and Corrin stepped inside. "Well hello there. Nice place you found to lock me up in. Didn't even need bindings." Standing up, Vara twirled her hair around her finger. "Though, I could just kill you right now."

Corrin shrugged. "You can. But you won't. You need me, right? If I'm not there to use the Yato when the time comes, then your plan fails. So drop the bluff and tell me what you're really here to say." Nina couldn't help but snicker. _Man, I forgot how good she was at this sort of thing._

"Fine, then. Here's an ultimatum: be at Krakenburg when the sun and moon become one, or Azura dies," Vara said smugly, successfully wiping the confidence right off Corrin's face.

"You wouldn't. Camilla wouldn't." Corrin's voice was quiet.

"It's not her call. Bölverk's the one calling the shots here. She was too weak to make it herself, so Bölverk did it for her. Don't worry, she doesn't know. And she won't have to, as long as you're at Krakenburg when the time comes."

 **"I'd do it differently, but like I said, it's out of my hands."** Vara's confession took Nina aback. Why would she bother saying something like that? And why only to her?

_What's your goal here? What do you think lying to me is going to accomplish? You're a monster. You've killed people for no reason other than the fact that you like it. You made these choices._

**"I'm doing this because I have to. 'Choice' isn't a factor for me very often, and when it is? Old habits die hard, I suppose."**

_That sounds like an excuse to be a mass-murdering psycho to me._

**"Shut up. Just…shut up."**

"When I get the Yato," Corrin said, "what'll stop me from just chopping you and Camilla to bits?"

"The fact that we can still kill Azura whenever we like. And we aren't going to stop with her. Everyone you know and love will die. We'll make sure of it. That's your problem, Corrin; you can't think of the big picture. You're selfish, greedy, and short-sighted. Not too different from me, really. Camilla understands the big picture, even if she still is blinded somewhat by her family. But when push comes to shove, she'll do what needs to be done to make sure she succeeds. You, meanwhile?" Vara laughed. "You'll beg like a dog if it means the people you care about stay safe. So you can't kill me, you can't run away, and when you've got the Yato, you can't say no. You've lost already, Corrin. You're just too stubborn to admit it."

Corrin stepped up close to Vara, grabbing her by the throat and squeezing just tight enough to cut off a bit of her air flow. "Go to hell."

Hysterical laughter erupted in response to Corrin's anger. "I know what hell is. Hell is being stuck in nothing. No sense of touch, of taste. No warmth, no pain, nothing but emptiness. You can't even imagine it, because when you think of that you think of an enveloping blackness. But I don't even get the pleasure of that color. That nothingness, going on for long enough to seem like an eternity? That's hell. Now, my message has been delivered. I originally intended it for your brothers, but I'm sure you can relay the details." An arrow of flame formed in her hand. "See you." She winked, and then the arrow combusted, flooding the room with thick, heavy smoke.

Nina couldn't see anything, but Vara navigated just fine, getting out of the room while Corrin stumbled around, wheezing. The others were shouting something nearby, no doubt having heard the commotion, but Vara jumped through the nearest window she could find, landing on the streets below. **"There. Nobody died. You're welcome."**

_The day I thank you for not killing anybody is the day I die._

**"Don't go saying things you might regret."**


	48. Paralogue Three: Eastward Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having a hard time getting the next chapter to a state I'm happy with, so here's a little prequel chapter in the meantime.

Corrin had found that there was no real place quite like the White Scale Tavern. This was the kind of place that sold to anybody, no matter what kind of horrible shit they had done. Their policy was simple to understand and, if you were smart, easy to follow. You could get up to whatever you want outside, but once you step foot inside, you might as well be a saint. No bar fights, no pickpocketing, no murder, no nothing. It was the only place Corrin respected enough to not steal from.

The drinks helped, too. Corrin had no idea where the White Scale got their booze, but it was the kind of unrefined shit water that lit your throat on fire with every gulp and settled in your stomach like a bag of marbles. She had found out at a young age that she could take a few more drinks than the average fellow and get half as drunk, so White Scale booze was one of the few drinks that got her properly wasted.

Lucky for Corrin, she wasn't wasted enough to be unaware of the person entering the tavern. She sized him up as a nobleman who sucked at acting. He walked too gracefully, looked too soft, wore clothes that even a street rat would ignore. He was both trying too hard to blend in and not hard enough. And of course, she was the one he was looking at.

The man took a seat next to Corrin, setting his arms on the bar counter. She was quick to speak. "Piss off."

"You must be the thief I was told about. The one who stole from the royal family and lived to tell the tale," the man said. So, word had spread around that quickly? It hadn't even been two months since Corrin, Niles, and Rinkah had broken into that manor, found out that the flower girl Elise was actually the princess of the same name, got into a scuffle with two scarily competent maids, and made off with a heap of treasure which they then gave to the woman who hired them for next to nothing. It was safer than selling them herself, so she took the rotten deal.

"It was a team effort. I was just one part of it." Corrin took another drink of her beer, hoping she'd get hammered enough for the man to realize he was wasting his time on her.

"Well, all the stories I've heard point to you as the ringleader," the man said. He wasn't wrong in that regard. "I've got a job for you. It'll pay well."

"The ones that pay well are generally the ones that'll end with my head on a pike."

"Not this one. All I'm asking is that you hit a caravan."

"Is this the kind of caravan with a couple of traders, or the kind with a dozen armed guards ready to carve your guts out?"

"The former," the man said. "I'm looking for one package in particular. You'll know it when you see it; it's got a stripe of red paint running down its box. Can't miss it." Sounded easy. That's what worried Corrin. Jobs like this were never easy. Still, she knew work was going to be dry for a while; not too many people wanted to recruit thieves with the royal family breathing down their necks. She wagered that after a few months, the attention would die down, but for now she needed to take what she could get.

"If I were to take this job - and I'm not saying I am - where would this caravan be, when would I hit it, and where would I meet you after the fact?" Corrin asked.

"About twenty miles north of the Windmire gates, eleven o'clock tomorrow night. Meet me outside of this bar the next day."

"Tomorrow, huh? You aren't exactly giving me too much time to-" Corrin looked to the man, only to realize he had gotten up from his seat and walked out of the bar door. "Great." She downed the rest of her drink and headed out.

Corrin found Niles not even three buildings down, in _his_ favorite bar, the Red Rabbit. He was seated in a corner booth with his arm over some pretty girl's shoulder, smooth talking her. She was fawning over every word, giggling at his jokes, and clearly trying to get into his pants so she could get to his wallet.

"Oh Niles," Corrin called out in a girly, lovestruck sort of way. She approached the booth, sliding next to Niles and rubbing up against his shoulder. "Who's this girl you're talking to? I thought you said you weren't going to take any more lovers!"

A grimace etched its way onto Niles's face. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe I know you," he lied, giving Corrin a _don't botch this for me or I will bury you_ sort of look.

Corrin feigned anger, slapping him across the face. She looked to the other girl. "Oh, don't give him a moment of your time! I knew he was nothing but a no-good slimeball!" She started weakly punching his arm, forcing him to hold his hands out in defense. The girl, not wanting to get involved in this sort of situation, quickly left without a word. Once she was out the door, Corrin stopped her act and grinned. "Oh, sorry. Did I ruin your date?"

"You ass," Niles grunted, crossing his arms. "I totally had her in the palm of my hand. She even said she had a twin sister who'd like me! Twins! Corrin, try to imagine that sort of experience!"

Corrin shrugged. "I'm sure you'll catch up with her again. But if she's not interested in you, give her my info. I've never gotten that sorta opportunity before." She smirked lecherously at Niles, knowing she was the only person who could one-up his lewd remarks.

"And you call me the pervert."

"Because you are. I know when to keep my clothes on and my mouth shut, unlike you. Now stop moping like a lovesick puppy and listen. We've got a job."

It took a while to find Rinkah, but Corrin and Niles eventually spotted her playing a game of cards with some kid nearby the underground canal. It took minimal effort to convince her to take the job, though she insisted on winning her game first, which she did. She gave the kid the winnings anyways.

"Do you even know who this guy is?" Niles asked. "I mean, it could be a trap. What if the Nohrian royalty is trying to catch us with this?"

"Then Rinkah can just cave their heads in with her club," Corrin said. "Simple." It wasn't like the average Nohrian soldier was very smart; Corrin had learned that from dozens of successful jobs that involved soldiers. Even if they sent someone more specialized, Uncle Shura had already taught them all their dirty tricks. "Besides, if this is a trick then we'll know that we have to lay really low for a while."

"I don't like this," was all Rinkah said, following behind Corrin while Niles walked at her side. The forest in the pitch black of the night seemed to want to envelop them. Corrin had always been more of a city girl. Not that she didn't enjoy a good nature walk; she just preferred a more urban environment.

The caravan was there, just like Corrin was told. The only problem was that it was abandoned. Wait, no - there were people there. The problem was that they were all unconscious. "Jeez," Corrin said, "I can smell the bullshit from here. Stay sharp, guys. Could be we weren't the only ones hired to grab the package."

The three of them scurried over to the caravan, careful to make sure that everyone was really unconscious. There wasn't any third party around, which worried Corrin. If the people who had knocked the traders out were already gone, then that meant the package could very well have been taken already. The job was a guaranteed bust if that was the case.

Niles called out, "Guys, over here! You might wanna take a look at this!" Corrin and Rinkah hurried over to him. They stood behind a wagon, peering inside at a box marked with a red stripe of paint. "It's still here. What the hell…?" He leaned close, inspecting the outside of the package. "Hot damn, looks like I was right. Check it out."

Upon closer inspection, Corrin realized the package was booby-trapped. A tripwire ran through the lock, hooked up to something inside of the box. "What did that guy take us for?" She asked. "We're not idiots. Think you can disarm it, Niles?"

"Obviously. Gimme a minute." Niles got to work on the tripwire, Corrin watching while Rinkah stood guard, peering around. Corrin could hear him occasionally curse, which didn't exactly instill her with confidence that he could stop the thing from going off. But sure to his word, the device let off a small click before becoming undone. "Told you so. Now, let's see just what that tripwire was attached to…"

Niles opened the box, seeing that it was filled to the brim with red powder. "The hell is this?" he asked.

Rinkah shouted something about a fire, but before Corrin could think anything of it, something flew towards them, glowing bright with flame: a flame shuriken. Shura had only mentioned them once; they were supposed to be an eastern weapon.

The shuriken hit the pile of red dust, creating an explosion of maroon smoke that sent both Niles and Corrin flying back, roughly impacting the ground. _Colored blasting powder!?_ Corrin realized, struggling up to her feet, trying to see who was attacking. The thick red smoke that now filled the air around her made that task impossible. "Come out, you bastards!" Niles shouted, grabbing his bow from his back and nocking an arrow. Corrin drew her sword, ready for a fight.

Rinkah could be heard hissing in pain, but Corrin couldn't get a good look at her through the smoke. Something flew past Corrin, embedding itself in Niles's neck. He grabbed it and yanked it out, revealing it to be a small needle coated in some odd substance. "Oh, shit," he muttered, beginning to sway back and forth, losing his sense of balance. Corrin watched in horror as he collapsed, his breathing shallow.

"Niles!" Corrin shouted, dropping to her knees and checking her friend for any injuries. The small prick in his neck from the needle had grown a dark, ugly purple; Niles had been poisoned.

An unfamiliar voice spoke, "Drop your weapon." Corrin sprang to her feet, holding her blade out at the source of the voice. A woman emerged from the smoke, dressed in unfamiliar clothing. "Your comrades have been administered a deadly toxin derived from a plant native to Hoshido. Only we have the antidotes. If you surrender, we will cure them." Another person stepped into view, dressed in a similar way. His deep, ugly scar running down his eye caught Corrin's attention.

"Bastards," Corrin muttered. Did she have any other choice in the matter? She let her sword fall out of her hands, holding her hands up. "Who the hell are you?"

The man approached Corrin and roughly spun her around, yanking her hands behind her back and tying them together. "Where's the survivor of Kohga!?" He shouted furiously.

"The hell are you talking about!?" Corrin shouted right back. The strange woman knelt down next to Niles, rubbing some sort of powder against the puncture wound in his neck. "Don't touch him!" She tried to yank herself free of the man's grip, but he held strong.

The woman stood up, looking at Corrin. "Your friend will be safe." She looked at the man. "Get these two ready. I'll go attend to the third one." Vanishing into the smoke, she left Corrin alone with the man who she didn't exactly trust to keep her unharmed. Still, she had begun to piece it together; these two weren't from anywhere west. They had to be ninjas of some sort. She had thought she'd never see one in her life, and she certainly had hoped that if she did, it wouldn't be like this.

But that only begged the question: what did _ninjas_ want with Corrin and the others? She wasn't given an opportunity to ask, promptly gagged and pushed along, forced to move where the ninja wanted or fall flat on her face. She, along with the unconscious Niles and Rinkah, were shoved into the back of a covered wagon, left in darkness with only a crack of light shining through the gap in the two pieces of cloth covering the exit. Their arms and legs had been bound, and their mouths gagged. Even when Niles and Rinkah eventually woke up, they were just as hopeless to escape as Corrin was.

Occasionally, that female ninja would step into the back of the wagon, ungagging them one at a time and feeding them. It seemed their captors wanted to keep them in good condition, at least for the time being. The male ninja never showed his face, likely the one keeping the wagon moving.

At some point, the wagon was ditched, and the three of them were forced to walk. A few escape attempts were made, but each one was quickly shut down by the ninjas. Rinkah almost made it one time, only for her to be poisoned and subsequently cured once again.

Corrin knew that wherever they were headed, it was east. _Far_ east. The Hoshidan sun hit her hard, giving her a nasty sunburn and hurting her eyes to the point that a bag had been put over her head. How anyone could stand something that bright bearing down on them half the day was a complete mystery to her.

Thankfully, Corrin eventually was tossed into some dark cell in Gods-know-where, finally about to enjoy some nice darkness. In that time, she finally pieced together why she was here. They mentioned a "survivor of Kohga," which could only mean one person: Uncle Shura. They must have been looking for him and ended up nabbing the wrong people. Was that ambush meant for him, instead? Then they must've really screwed up, considering that he was more than likely in hiding now that Corrin and the others were missing.

Footsteps signaled someone's approach. Corrin stayed in her dark little corner, not even bothering to look up just yet. He spoke, "So, you're one of the thieves that stole from the Nohrian royal family?"

"Lots of people steal from them," Corrin said, looking up at the man. He was tall and imposing, wearing armor that was most definitely Hoshidan. Perhaps it was a tactic to intimidate her. She wasn't going to let it work. "I was just careless enough to get caught." After a moment, she decided to prod for extra information. "What's it to you?"

As Corrin and the stranger began to talk, she was already scanning the environment for possible escape routes, weaknesses, opportunities to exploit. She'd get out of here in no time. She always did. Nothing was going to get in the way of that.


	49. The Shadows it Casts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gotta apologize for taking so long to get a proper chapter out. I found it hard to work up the motivation to get this chapter done, and even though I did write other stuff in the meantime, including the previous paralogue, I still feel bad for keeping the story on hold this long. I'm really sorry about that.

Anna

Peri hadn't left the town in over a day now. She was looking for something – likely Xander's group – and for whatever reason, she must've thought it was here. Since Anna had always been the best at talking her way out of a bad situation, and she had never encountered Peri, she was picked as the one to watch her movements. This greatly upset Anna, who would rather engage in a battle of bargaining than clash blades. Sure, she had seen her fair share of fighting, but that in no way made her like any of it.

Whenever Anna thought of fighting, she thought of home. She thought of watching some of her sisters die. She thought of how those monsters would come at her, even when she was a little girl, growling and screaming and raising their weapons with the intent to cleave her in two. The thoughts were inseparable, bound together by iron chains that held no weak link she could break. Even as she watched Peri act innocent and friendly in spite of the sword strapped to her hip, she could only think of those monsters.

Anna was confident, and she prided herself in that confidence. It got her through tough times, it kept her on top of the ever-changing economy, and it helped her scam some very wealthy customers out of a lot of money. But the thought of fighting hit her confidence like nothing else. When she was in the heat of the moment, clashing blades and letting instinct take over, that thought was erased. She became a blur, deftly evading each strike her opponent would try to land and following up with a well-placed stab at their weak point. Once, one of her sisters said she must've been born blessed by some god of luck, considering the dozens of fatal strikes she had avoided by a hair's breadth. She wasn't going to take that luck for granted.

After all, luck runs out. Anna knew that if she kept fighting, kept getting lucky, one day she wouldn't be so fortunate. One day she'd find herself stumbling for a moment, feeling trickling, burning hot blood running down her chest from the clean (or perhaps not so clean, if it was the monsters) cut across her throat, before falling to the ground without feeling it, her vision darkening into an endless emptiness. And that scared her.

In an attempt to distract herself from those kinds of thoughts, Anna wondered about Siegbert. She had noticed the thin strands of blue mixed into his blonde hair starting to become more prominent, and now that she was getting a good look at Peri, she was beginning to realize how similar that blue looked to hers. Anna was no stranger to things getting far too complicated for their own good, but this was complex in a way that she didn't like. Whenever family got involved in something, it spelled trouble for just about everyone involved. Especially when a family member was a psycho. She wondered if craziness was inheritable. If so, Siegbert must not have caught it.

A small child tugged on Anna's leg, drawing her attention. "Miss Anna?" The boy looked up at her with nervous eyes. "My mom said you sell a spice that's good for colds. Is that true?" Anna briefly glanced back at Peri, seeing that she was still in the same place she had been in for a while, and then turned back to the child.

"Why yes, yes I do! Tell you what, come back this evening and I'll get you some, okay?" It was a bad idea to take her eyes off Peri, Anna knew that, but she wasn't just about to let this little boy's request for help go unheeded.

"B-but my big sister's got a really bad cold, and she really needs some medicine. Can't I get it now?" The kid's nervousness told Anna that he wasn't kidding about how bad the cold was. She rubbed her forehead, trying to get rid of a rising headache.

"Alright, alright. Follow me. And keep up!" Anna jogged over to her shop, the kid managing to keep up, surprisingly. Once there, she fished through her belongings, trying to find the spice he was looking for. It took a minute or two longer than she would've liked, but eventually she found it and gave it to him.

"Here, let me give you some money!" The boy stuck a hand into his pocket, but Anna motioned for him to stop. She needed to head back to find Peri, and didn't have time to accept payment, as much as she would've liked to. Right now, her focus needed to be on—

"Excuse me?" Peri was standing only a few feet away from Anna and the boy, wearing an all-too-innocent smile on her face. "I heard your shop is a great place to get important things. Is that true?" Anna quickly shooed away the boy, who was unsure of why she was suddenly so tense, but left anyways.

"Ah, well, that's a bit of an overstatement. I just sell a lot of things!" Putting on a friendly smile, Anna stepped behind her counter. "What're you looking for? Maybe I've got it in stock."

Peri gave a knowing grin. "Oh, I'm not looking to buy. I'm trying to find some dear friends of mine, and since you sell so much, I thought they must've come to you at some point! So, where are they?"

"I'm sorry, I…"

"Where are they, Anna?" Peri's smile became less friendly and far more sinister. "Where are Xander and Leo? I need you to fetch them for me. Don't worry, I won't kill 'em. I just wanna take 'em back to Krakenburg so Camilla can keep them in a teeny-weeny cell. It just wouldn't do for them to be doing whatever they want, now would it? So come on, pretty please? If you tell me, I won't kill that adorable little boy who just left."

Anna felt like her chest was trying to cave in on itself. "He's got nothing to do with this. He's just some village kid."

"Exactly!" Peri said with a laugh. "So it would be a real shame if he wound up as collateral damage because you were too stubborn to give up your secrets. Right?" When Anna didn't say anything, Peri leaned a bit over the counter. " _Right?_ " What was she supposed to do? If she told Peri where the others were, at least there was a chance that blood wouldn't be on her hands.

"I'll…I'll take you there. Just please, don't hurt anyone." Anna's usual confidant demeanor was gone. She felt defeated. She felt scared. She was painfully reminded once again why she hated fighting – not just because it put her at risk, but because it put the people she cared about at risk. _She_ was putting them at risk. All she could do was hope they'd be able to stop Peri.

Elise

After having come down with that nasty flu, Elise had been bedridden for what felt like an entire lifetime. She had become well-acquainted with her vomit bucket, and even briefly considered keeping it as a souvenir of sorts. She ultimately decided that that would be weird.

Now that Elise was in a good enough shape to walk around the castle without worrying about fainting, she made her way to the castle cathedral, probably her favorite place to go to other than the flower garden. She was religious, though not in a strict, "attend church every Sunday" sort of way. Rather, she prayed to the Dusk Dragon when she needed guidance, giving offerings in exchange. Usually these offerings were the prettiest flowers she could find in the castle, but today she decided to offer up a silver necklace she had worn when she was barely old enough to read. She needed something more extravagant to gain the help she needed.

The most striking feature of the castle cathedral was the massive stained-glass window portraying a king of Nohr whose name she never remembered holding Siegfried in the air, pointing it to the sun as if he intended to rend the sky itself. The vast array of colors created a dazzling rainbow that covered most of the pews when the time of day was right, giving one the impression that they truly were in the presence of divinity.

Instead of approaching the grand altar just below the window, a statue of the Dusk Dragon meticulously carved out of black stone, Elise opted to kneel in front of a smaller shrine in the corner, placing her necklace down next to some coins, a four-leaf clover, and a broken dagger. She never judged the offerings of others; in her eyes, offering up what one believed was right was far better than simply offering up something standard, like a bag of gold or a handwritten prayer.

Clasping her hands together, Elise closed her eyes and muttered her prayer. "Oh Dusk Dragon, lord of the moon and the shadows it casts. Oh great being who blessed the people of Nohr so that they may survive in her harsh wastes. Hear my prayer. I pray for Nohr's people, so they may receive a bountiful harvest. I pray for her soldiers, so they may return from the battlefield unharmed. I pray for my loyal retainers, so they may fulfill their mission. I pray for Azura, so she may receive the spiritual healing she needs." Her mind drifted to Azura, who had become so emotionally distant that she seemed more like a husk than the kind, gentle older sister Elise cared about.

"I pray for Camilla, the benevolent queen of Nohr, so she may lead us to greatness. I pray for…" Elise paused. "I…pray for my brothers, so they may see the error in their ways. I pray for father, wherever he may be, that he is enjoying the reward of serving as a great and mighty king. I pray for my mother, that you have granted her the mercy of being with him." She remembered watching her mother, on death's door, begging to see Garon one last time as the pneumonia ravaged her lungs and sapped the glow from her face like a parasite, leaving a withered, deathly woman. She remembered how her mother never once asked to see her. When she came regardless, her mother never even looked at her, acting as if she did not exist, for the only thing in her mother's thoughts was Garon. He never came, and she died alone, even though Elise was at her bedside when her pulse faded away and her hand, reaching up as if her love would grab it at any moment and tell her it would be okay, fell to her bed and never moved again.

Elise found herself unable to continue praying. Instead of the peace she sought, she only felt like she was going to be sick again. She stood up and hastily walked out of the cathedral. Even the Dusk Dragon was now seemingly against her. And what had she done to deserve this? She had always stayed positive and upbeat in an effort to improve the spirits of those around her. When Leo and Xander betrayed Nohr and murdered father, she reserved her tears for private moments and tried to look like it hadn't torn her to pieces. She studied Brynhildr day and night, channeling its power faster than even Leo had when he first picked up the tome. What had she done wrong? What fatal error had she made that warranted this sort of suffering?

In Elise's room, there was a scrap of paper laying on her bed. She picked it up, examining it front to back. The message was short and simple, but it was enough to make her smile, even if only a little. Effie and Arthur's mission was going well. They hadn't found anything yet, but they'd keep looking. Knowing that she had people who would stand by her no matter what was a greater comfort in that moment than it had ever been for her.

Flora

Flora had come to the rather irritating discovery that being pregnant was one of the worst things for a maid to do. Initially, she had simply been taken off combat duties, but as the months advanced, she was even taken off strategic responsibilities. At this point she wasn't even allowed to clean anything! Sure, she felt like garbage every time she tried, but it was her responsibility to keep things tidy. The only thing she had done of note was visit Corrin, who was surprisingly happy to see her and Felicia.

Corrin was in her bed in her room at the local inn, scribbling something down on a piece of paper – one of many, as it turned out. Crumpled up wads of paper had been tossed in the corner, piling up to the point where Flora was both surprised it hadn't fallen and infuriated that Corrin couldn't just clean up after herself. The second she saw the sisters, she ditched what she was doing and hopped out of bed.

"Oh my gosh!" Corrin exclaimed. "How long has it been!? Man, you two look great! Felicia, you look a lot more confident, and Flora, you've…" She stared at Flora, taking a moment to find the words. "You've gotten so fat!" She tried to enthuse her words, with mixed success.

Flora sighed. "I'm pregnant, Corrin. Not fat."

"Right, pregnant! That's what I meant." Corrin wiped some hair off her face. "Uh, excuse the mess. I've been pretty busy. Haven't slept all night and man does a lack of sleep take out the will to clean." She was talking so fast that if Flora wasn't used to a life of understanding instructions exactly, she'd have a hard time understanding her. "So, you two are still with Ryoma?"

Felicia nodded. "Yeah! When the rebels got attacked, we decided to stick with Lord Ryoma. Besides, I read that a sea breeze does wonders for a baby's health!"

"Felicia," Flora said, "I do wish you'd stop worrying so much about that. Really, I'm fine. Everything's fine. Nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, yeah, fine!" Felicia's voice tremored a bit. "Except for sickness and birth defects and injuries that could harm the baby and oh gods don't even get me started on the side effects of drinking…" She got quieter as she went along, listing just about everything that could go wrong in a pregnancy until her voice was a low whisper that only she could hear. Suddenly, she piped up. "B-But it's fine! Everything's fine! Not a problem in sight! Yet! So let's just, ah, keep it that way!"

"Is she alright?" Corrin asked.

Flora pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment. "She's more anxious about this than I am. She thinks that if I cut my foot on a rock, the baby will come out with three eyes."

Felicia put her hands on her hips. "Well sorry for caring! Jeez."

Trying to change the subject, Flora looked at the paper in Corrin's hand. "You said you didn't get any sleep? Did that have anything to do with it?"

Nodding, Corrin held it up triumphantly. "It has _everything_ to do with it! It took me two dozen scrapped ideas, but I've finally got it: my ultimate game plan! I call it, 'Corrin's Awesome Plan!'"

"Congratulations, milady," Flora said with zero real enthusiasm behind her words. "The name is…fitting. What does your plan contain?"

"Oh, that's on a need-to-know basis. But the short and simple is that I'm gonna use this plan to go to war."

Flora blinked, trying to figure out if she just heard that correctly. "I'm sorry, what was that, milady?"

Corrin grinned fiercely, waggling the paper around a bit for what was likely dramatic effect. "We're going to war. We are gonna march right into Windmire with a big-ass army and knock Camilla's crown right off her stupid head."

"I, um…appreciate the enthusiasm, milady, but how exactly do you plan to obtain an army? Hoshido's reserves aren't exactly a force to be reckoned with." Most troops were busy fighting the actual war, so Flora knew their reserves would be pitiful.

"We'll use them, of course. But I'm not gonna just ask mother dearest for some soldiers and call it a day. If we wanna pull this off, we're gonna need a lot more. And I know just the places to go to." Stuffing the paper in a pouch hanging from her belt, Corrin stepped past the twins and out of the door. They followed behind, both highly confused. "That was the hardest part, really. Figuring out how to get from place to place in the least amount of time was a real pain in the ass."

Felicia cleared her throat. "Where exactly are we going?"

Corrin stared ahead. "Need-to-know basis, Felicia. Just trust me on this. My plans never fail." She paused. "And even if they do, I make better ones to fix them." It never ceased to amaze Flora how Corrin could sound so confidant and unsure at the same time. "Oh, and Flora," she said, getting Flora's attention, "you won't be coming."

"Excuse me?" Flora said.

"Come on, of course you aren't coming! You shouldn't even be traveling at all! Originally, I intended to bring you along, but now that I see the condition you're in, there isn't a snowball's chance in hell that I'm bringing you along." Flora felt indignant fury flood her veins, but she held back from voicing it. "Don't worry, I'm not just gonna abandon you. There's a safe place that Beruka told me about; that's where you'll be going."

"With all due respect, Lady Corrin—"

Corrin interrupted. "With all due respect, Flora, I don't want your death on my conscience. Don't worry, Layla will be coming with you, since she's not exactly a fighter. Scarlet's gonna make sure you two get there safely. It'll be a simple trip north to a nice, cozy, secluded village. There are some friendly faces up there, too. I'm sure Hinoka'll give you something to do if you ask her."

"Wait, Lady Hinoka is there?" Nobody had any idea where the princess had gone after her arrival in Izumo. It had been months of nothing but rumors about her possible capture or death, and it had worried Ryoma and Takumi sick. To hear she was alright was a huge relief.

"Yup! Along with some friends of hers. Listen, Beruka says it's the safest place in the world right now, and you of all people need to be somewhere safe." Corrin sighed. "Felicia, back me up here."

Felicia fidgeted when she was brought into the conversation. "I mean…yeah, Flora. I think she's right. I know you wanna help, but you just can't right now. That's not your fault. Just please, do what Corrin says. I don't…" She stopped, sniffing as if she were about to get emotional. "I don't want you getting hurt. Please."

It was agonizingly hard for Flora to admit, but Corrin and Felicia were right. If anything, she'd just be a burden on Corrin and the others at this point. Being in a safe place was the best option for her, and she needed to take it. "Fine. I suppose you two have a point. I'll go to this safe place." Felicia nearly cheered, hugging her sister tight until remembering about the baby and quickly letting go, apologizing profusely. Flora laughed, but she still felt a pit in her stomach. She had a feeling that she wasn't going to be enjoying the peace of her new destination very much.


	50. Willing to Hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To commemorate the 50th chapter, as well as the one-year anniversary (yes I'm a day late, I know) of the original publishing of the first chapter, I've written down a letter to all my readers.
> 
> This story only exists in its current form thanks to you. Initially, I posted it on ffnet as a throwaway "what if?" idea, planning to maybe add a few more chapters before abandoning it. But the feedback and overall reception I received was staggering, completely blowing me away. I decided to pursue this story further, spending just about every moment I could thinking about what would happen next and coming up with ideas I never would have without devoting so much time. I took the story in ways I was worried would be controversial, I wrote scenes that I felt would displease some readers, and I touched on themes like self-loathing, thinking I was handling them insensitively. Every time, you all have supported me. You've given me confidence in my ability to tell this story, and I cannot thank you enough for that.
> 
> We're in the final lap, now. The final battle is encroaching upon our cast, where they will be tested to their limits and forced to face the end. No matter how the chapters ahead turn out, I hope you all have enjoyed the journey. I know I have.
> 
> From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Midori

She dragged the stone against the edge of her blade slowly, carefully. From the hilt to the top, then back to the hilt. Her blade had to be as close to perfect as she could make it. It had to make up for her own faults. Taking care of a sword was nothing like taking care of a bow, but she liked to think she was adapting to it decently enough. Severa, for all her faults, was a fantastic teacher, and she had seemed to take a liking to her.

Midori took comfort in that knowledge. And she vowed not to let Severa down. So, she continued sharpening, a lantern letting her watch her movements in her otherwise pitch-black tent. The light reflecting off those crystals above the Dragon's Gate didn't travel through tarp very well, but she was willing to deal with flickering light provided by the lantern so she could get some time to herself. After seeing Peri, she didn't want to go anywhere or do anything. Not until the trouble cleared, at least. Before the commotion outside the tent even started, Midori knew that wish wasn't going to be granted. When had things ever worked out well for her?

As soon as the shouting started, Midori dropped what she was doing and left the tent. Peri was at the entrance to the tunnel leading out of the mountain, Ganglari pressed gently against Anna's throat. "I'm sorry," Anna said, trying to hold still as Peri held her tight. "She was going to kill people if I didn't tell her. I'm sorry."

With everyone already gathered together, there was no doubt that they'd be able to overpower Peri. The problem, of course, was Anna. Peri was fully aware of this, grinning maniacally. "Glad I could catch up with you all! Camilla wanted me to send a message, and I was starting to get worried I wouldn't deliver it in time!" Understanding their role in this, Xander and Leo stepped forward from the group.

"We're right here," Xander said. "What do you want from us?"

"I don't want anything _from_ you! I want you. Both of you. Camilla needs you."

As Midori watched the confrontation, Severa walked to her side and tapped her on the shoulder, leaning close. "I have a plan," she whispered. "It's stupid as hell, but it's all I can come up with." Nothing good could come from a statement like that, Midori knew. She whispered back, asking why Severa would tell her. "Because I need someone to explain what I'm about to do when I'm gone."

"When you're gone?" Midori said. "What are you talking about?" The confrontation between Peri and the Nohrian nobles had progressed to them pointing out how impractical it was for her to handle two captives on her own, to which she panicked a bit before returning to threatening Anna's life.

"Peri's not gonna get what she wants from this. Anna's gonna die if this keeps going on the way it is. But she's not gonna just leave without any sort of prize." Severa took a deep breath. "I'll go with her. I'm the one who betrayed Camilla. I'll convince her that taking me will draw Xander and Leo to Krakenburg. It'll be your job to make good on that."

"Why would I want to get them to go to Krakenburg?"

"Because once Peri gets back, she'll tell Camilla about this place. We won't be safe here anymore. There's only one option left if we all wanna stay alive, and that's stopping the problem at its source."

"You mean…"

"We're gonna have to kill Camilla." Midori heard Severa's voice falter, just for a moment. "I'll keep her busy at Krakenburg. I know how to stir up drama, and she won't kill me until she has some kind of closure for why I went turncoat. I don't know how long I'll be able to divert her attention, though, so you all will need to get your asses to Windmire, fast. Understand?"

"Severa…" Midori whispered, feeling her hands begin to tremble. She knew that the odds of Severa surviving weren't very high, and there was no way she was unaware of that. "Why are you doing this?" She had a home to go back to, and people who were counting on her to come back with them.

"Like I said, it's our only option."

"I don't believe that."

"It's our _best_ option."

"Ours. Not yours. Since when did you stick your neck out for other people?"

Severa didn't answer. She just set a hand on Midori's shoulder for a moment, gave her a nod, and stepped out of the group. Midori had a terrible feeling that she wasn't going to see her again.

Elise

_"Elise. There's something I have to tell you."_

It was overcast. Elise was dressed in a simple black dress, lacking the color variety her attire usually had. She had brought an umbrella, hoping it would rain. At least rain would tell her that the Gods cared. But they didn't. Why would they?

_"It's about your retainers."_

Camilla delivered the news. That made it worse, but Elise couldn't show that. Even as she stood in a small crowd, waiting for those close for the departed to finish bearing their hearts out, she had to stay composed. But she found it wasn't hard anymore. It was easy to stay composed and silent when she had one, singular fact to focus on. Camilla had killed them.

_"They were found in the slums of Windmire. We think their attackers were under the impression that you were with them."_

That twisted the knife in deeper. For Camilla to imply that it was Elise's fault was too cruel. She didn't want to comfort her little sister; she wanted to make sure she felt as weak and helpless as possible, like she had to stay with Camilla so she wouldn't get anyone else killed. It was insulting, it was awful, and it was proof that there was no one Elise could trust anymore. Connecting the dots wasn't hard; Arthur and Effie had uncovered something, and then Camilla had them killed before they could inform Elise. She knew that Camilla was banking on her being too afraid to believe that to be the truth.

But Elise wasn't afraid anymore. She just felt cold. She just wanted to get under her covers and go to sleep and wake up when all of this was over. But as she watched two closed caskets lowered into the ground, she knew that was a fantasy. The idea of her family getting back together and being happy like before was a fantasy. It was all make-believe. An idealistic, _stupid_ dream she could use to keep going.

Elise was done dreaming. She was done pretending there was still a possibility that everything could work out. Things would only get worse, and she wanted no part in it. So, once the funeral was over and she quietly excused herself to her room, she headed into her bathroom. In one of the drawers below the sink was a pair of scissors.

The two long, overly elegant ponytails Elise always tied her hair into were undone. She cut each strand of purple-dyed hair and snipped it off as much as she could manage, hiding the stubs left under the rest of her blonde hair. It draped down to her waist, and though she used to love how long it was, she found herself no longer able to stomach the sight of it. With one snip, the hair below her shoulders fell to the ground. It almost felt freeing. She examined the uneven length of her hair, some strands a half-inch or so longer than the others, but none going down any farther than her shoulders.

All that Elise needed to bring with her was Brynhildr. Everything else, she'd deal with when necessary. It was already dark out, and the overcast sky kept the moon from illuminating Windmire with its pale light. She slowly opened her bedroom window as a vine sprouted from the stone, extending to the ground far below her. Where she would go was unimportant to her. She just wanted to get away from all of it. She grabbed the vine with a strong but shaky grip and descended.

Kana

Though Kana and Nyx were trying to find Corrin, running into some of her friends wasn't a bad start. Well, "running into" wasn't a great term. Their camp was raided in the dead of night by a local rebellion, desperate for supplies. Nyx almost set someone on fire before Mozu stepped out from the group of soldiers with a decidedly fierce expression, something neither of them were entirely sure how to respond to. That expression melted away to a relieved smile, and nobody was lit on fire that night.

Mozu and Niles confirmed Nyx's suspicions; though they were no longer working together, they knew Corrin was heading to Notre Sagesse. According to Niles, "When we last saw her, she was ranting and raving about that damn island. Not a care in the world about any of the others." Apparently, working in one of the numerous rebellions popping up across Nohr wasn't any good for finding the others. Kana almost told Niles about Nina's true identity, but he decided against it. That was her secret to tell, not his.

Finally, once all the facts were gathered together, the four of them sat down and talked about what to do next. Mozu and Niles made their position very clear. "We aren't going after Corrin," Mozu said, gripping Niles's hand tightly. "We just can't keep doing this with her anymore." Kana spotted the matching rings on their right hands.

"When's the wedding?" Kana asked. They looked at him, surprised. After pointing out the rings, that surprise was diminished.

"A-Ah, yes," Mozu said meekly. "We don't have a day set yet. All we know for sure is we're waiting until after…after," she moved her hands out a little bit, as if signifying the world around them, "this." Nyx nodded understandingly.

"Then help us end this," Nyx said. "Help Corrin end this."

"And what makes you so sure that she's the one who's gonna be able to stop all of this?" Niles asked. Nyx gave a sigh in response, shifting in her seat.

"Fine," she said. "I suppose it's time I fill you three in on who I am, and why Corrin's so important in all of this."

Camilla

"Why would she run away? I don't understand, I don't understand…" Azura was struggling to hold back tears as Camilla hugged her, running her hand through her hair. "This is my fault, I should've spent more time with her, reached out to her, something!"

"Perhaps," Camilla said, making sure Azura wasn't entirely guiltless. She had underestimated Elise's sense of independence. She though her little sister had grown to rely on her for comfort, for safety, for assurance that what happened wasn't her fault. But she had run away, and Camilla was not about to potentially make that same mistake with Azura. If she didn't believe that Camilla was the only person she could turn to, then she could get away. "But there's no point in worrying about what's already happened. We need to focus on getting her back."

Azura sniffled. "But how? We don't know where she went, o-or what she's doing, or…or anything!"

"Yes, Azura, we do. Elise still has Brynhildr. That means I can use Bölverk to find her. And I _will_ find her." Camilla brushed Azura's cheek, wiping a tear away. "You have my word. I will do anything to keep the two of you safe."

Azura gave a forced smile. "Thank you, Camilla."

Later, in the privacy of her personal quarters, Camilla smashed a table into pieces. Why couldn't Elise just be a good girl and stay put? Why did she have to go run off? Why did she have to get her damned retainers involved, snooping around where they didn't belong? Those two were good people, and now they were dead because Elise couldn't just accept the reality she had been presented. She'd make sure her sister knew whose fault this really was. That way Elise would never get the idiotic idea to run away ever again.

Iago had sent the word out to the soldiers stationed across Nohr to keep an eye out for the princess. The sooner she was captured, the better, so if Elise was scooped up by a roaming patrol, all the better. But Camilla wasn't going to take the chance of letting somebody else lose her darling little sister. She was going to find her.

Elise was headed east. But not with any intended destination in mind; she was moving too slowly, too aimlessly for that. Camilla would catch up to her in a few days' time, and that would be the end of that. Assuming that Elise didn't stir up any more trouble. But with the power of Brynhildr in her hands, and with her seemingly unending talent for using the tome, trouble seemed to be an inevitability.

Oh, Elise. What a poor, misguided little girl. Camilla would take care of her. She would keep her safe.

Corrin

"Can you just tell us what your plan is?" Takumi asked Corrin as he and Ryoma walked by her side. Their ship was about to approach port on the eastern end of the gulf that Notre Sagesse sat in, and Takumi was much grumpier than usual thanks to his hilarious case of seasickness. Ryoma was stalwart as always. Beruka had spent the whole trip trying to stop Kiragi from jumping overboard for a laugh, and Scarlet and the others had taken a separate ship to a northern port.

"I'll tell you guys every detail of my plan," Corrin said, sneering at Ryoma, "as soon as Ryoma tells me all about his crush on Scarlet."

"I told you," Ryoma said, "that you're simply imagining things. She and I have no romantic relationship."

"Oh, I see the way you've been ogling her. And she's even worse at hiding it than you are." Corrin elbowed her brother in the side jokingly. "C'mon! Just admit it. You two totally have the hots for eachother."

Takumi held his face in his hand. "Oh, please tell me she's wrong, Ryoma. Please tell me you're not in a relationship with a Nohrian. You know the political ramifications of something like that."

"Yes, Takumi, I am aware." Ryoma was growing more annoyed. "There is nothing between the two of us. It is as simple as that."

Giggling, Corrin spoke in a sing-song voice. "Then no plan details for youuuu!" Much to her surprise, while Takumi was just as grumpy as expected, Ryoma had a small smile on his face. "What? Did you finally find one of my jokes to be as hilarious as they really are?" He shook his head. "Then why're you smiling?"

"When I first found you, after all those years of believing you to be dead, I thought the Corrin I knew had been snuffed out by a life on the streets." Ryoma turned from staring at the sea to face her. "But I think there's more of that girl left in there than any of us was willing to hope." Hearing that, she didn't quite know what to say. For a moment, she was afraid she was going to have to be emotional. Thankfully for her, a handy excuse to change the subject arrived just in time, as a few sailors ran to the bow of the ship, shouting something as one of them peered through a spyglass at the fast-approaching shoreline.

"Wow," Takumi said, crossing his arms, "I didn't realize we were so close to shore already." Corrin rushed to the sailors and nabbed the spyglass, much to their annoyance, using it to confirm her suspicions.

"That's not why there's a commotion…" Corrin said, handing the spyglass to Ryoma. "I sent a message ahead, but I didn't think she'd get here so soon." The smile on her face was now downright giddy. She couldn't get a good look at the woman's face, but she had the feeling she was smiling. "Here's hoping mom doesn't get too mad at me for running off."


End file.
